“American democracy means that every voter has the right to vote in a fair, open and secure election. It must be flexible to meet the changing needs of the electorate. As Georgians, we must protect these values,” the former Democratic president said. written in a statement. “We must not lose the progress we have made. We must not promote trust among one section of the electorate by limiting the participation of others. Our aim must always be to increase, not diminish, voter turnout. “
Carter’s reprimand comes as the Republican legislature in Georgia promotes a comprehensive electoral bill restricting voter access, repealing the excuse of absence without apology. The bill creates ID requirements to request an absent ballot and sets up a hotline for complaints and allegations of voter intimidation and illegal election activities.
GOP officials said the bill was necessary to restore confidence in the voting system, but it was Republican lawmakers and former President Donald Trump who pushed the unfounded claims of voter fraud around the 2020 election.
Carter did not name Trump in his statement, but addressed the denied claims.
“Many of the proposed amendments are responses to allegations of fraud for which no evidence has been provided – allegations that have in fact been refuted through various audits, versions and other measures,” Carter said.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has not said whether he will sign the bill in its current form, but a spokesman told CNN in an email that Kemp was “clear about his support for the strengthened provisions of the voter ID on the absence of votes. “
Georgia was a major political focal point after the state turned blue for the first time in nearly thirty years during the 2020 presidential election. In addition to the presidency, Democrats also won both of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats in the January election.
Meanwhile, Republicans in state houses nationwide have made efforts to return access to voting rights. On Monday, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa signed a new law that makes it harder to vote early.
Carter’s statement was issued by the Carter Center, an organization founded by former president and former first lady Rosalynn Carter. The organization has helped support democratic elections in countries for more than three decades during fragile and erratic times and has observed more than 100 elections in 39 countries.
The first time the non-profit organization, which observes elections around the world, watched any part of an election process in the US was after the 2020 election – during the retelling of the presidential election results in Georgia.
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