Townhall
By Congressman Drew Ferguson
Having free and fair elections is the foundation of our nation’s democracy, and we, as Americans, should no longer accept the false choice between voter access and voter integrity. We must demand and achieve both. Georgia’s new election integrity law goes a long way toward accomplishing just that.
Governor Kemp, Attorney General Carr, and our state legislators worked hard this legislative session to pass reforms to address issues arising from the 2020 election, secure each and every ballot, and provide broader access to voters while still securing the integrity of the ballot.
Unfortunately, what Delta Air Lines, Major League Baseball, other corporate CEOs in the Peach State, and even our own Senators Warnock and Ossoff are saying about the new Georgia law is shockingly inaccurate and downright irresponsible. It is a blatant disinformation campaign, and they ought to be ashamed. Continuing to push dishonest and intentionally misleading statements are only driving division and hurting Georgians and the American public.
Let’s lay out the facts. The new election law established a 17-day early voting period, including two Saturdays and two optional Sundays, for each locality in Georgia. Drop boxes will be available in every county at early voting sites to ensure widespread availability. Voters will also be able to receive an absentee ballot without having to provide an excuse. The same cannot be said about blue states like Connecticut and New York, none of which have no-excuse absentee ballot requirements.
Voter ID, which 35 other states require, is included in the new law. This simply calls for folks to present either a driver’s license or free state ID number. The state of Georgia has mechanisms in place to assist individuals in obtaining a voter identification to make it as simple, easy, and straightforward as possible to get an ID.
Drinking water and food is not banned in voter lines. These items - along with campaign materials - simply cannot be provided by advocacy groups soliciting votes. Statements made by Senator Warnock that exaggerate and mislead voters about the intent and actual language of the bill are nothing more than attempts to induce hysteria and outrage among the Democrat base.
Looking at the bigger picture, this whole charade to demonize Georgia’s law is being used by progressives and outside groups to build a narrative of fear and outrage in order to justify the federal takeover of state election laws. I will continue fighting against these unconstitutional attempts at every turn because at the end of the day, this is about making sure that every single Georgian —and every American — has the right to have their voice heard and their vote matter.
As we fight back against this coordinated disinformation campaign on our state’s election law, we won’t back down and we won’t cave to woke corporate CEO’s. Rest assured, this debate will be won on the facts, not on the phony narrative being perpetrated by the far Left.
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U.S. Congressman Drew Ferguson represents the Third District of Georgia and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. Ferguson is Chief Deputy Whip for the House Republican Conference.
