Ga. clears more voting checks for residents

ATLANTA - State lawmakers voted Friday to require prospective voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before they cast their ballots, making Georgia the second in the nation with such requirements.

Only Arizona requires its residents to prove they are U.S. citizens to register to vote.

The measure, which passed the House by a 104-67 vote, would require voters to prove their citizenship using a passport, a driver's license or other documents. It now goes to Gov. Sonny Perdue.

It was one of two proposals that critics said unfairly targeted immigrant groups. The Senate rejected an effort late Friday that would require driver's license applicants to take the written exam in English.

Secretary of State Karen Handel, Georgia's top election official, and other supporters have pushed the voting measure as a crucial way to halt voter fraud and preserve confidence in the electoral system. They say there are flaws in the current system, which only requires voters to check a box on an application affirming they are a U.S. citizen.

But critics say it could disenfranchise the elderly and others who may not have the documents on hand. State Rep. Doug McKillip, D-Athens, said it was a sloppy piece of legislation that will likely get "ripped to shreds" by the first judge to consider it.

"This is a Voting Rights Act nightmare," he said of the law that requires Georgia to clear elections changes with the U.S. Department of Justice. "It's going to be an embarrassment to the state of Georgia when it goes on the block before a federal judge."

And Pedro Marin, a Duluth Democrat who is one of few Hispanic state legislators, said it sends the wrong message to Georgia's immigrant communities.

"There has been a constant attack on foreign-born communities," he said. "Why are members of the House and Senate so scared of people who look and sound different? Is that the message we want to send to our global partners?"

The measure was introduced after state officials sent 4,771 advisory letters before last year's general election to residents who attempted to register to vote but whose status was "flagged" because of a question about their immigration status. Of those, 2,718 never responded or provided proof of citizenship.

All told, Handel spokesman Matt Carrothers said 230 residents cast a "challenged" ballot because of citizenship questions and failed to return with proper documents before the election was certified.

Handel, a Republican who is running for governor, called the proposal a "commonsense issue" that would strengthen the election process.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/4/218311