This is a column by Kyle Wingfield, president and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a Libertarian-leaning policy think tank based in Atlanta.
The 2021 legislative session is over, and the most-discussed legislation concerned election reform. While dozens of these bills were introduced, only Senate Bill 202 cleared both chambers. Gov. Brian Kemp signed it into law on March 25.
Much of what’s been said about this bill has been inaccurate. Rather than opining about it, I’m simply going to summarize the most important changes.
Early voting: For primary and general elections, early voting will continue to begin about three weeks before Election Day. After proposals to reduce early voting on weekends, the bill actually requires two Saturday early-voting days (up from one) and allows up to two Sunday early-voting days. In most counties, this will represent an increase in early voting.