The Georgia Senate Ethics Committee has given its approval to a bill sponsored by State Senator Randy Robertson. The bill aims to prohibit ranked-choice voting in the state, with proponents arguing that such a move is necessary to streamline the election process.
According to AP News, the Georgia Senate Ethics Committee voted 8-1 in favor of prohibiting ranked-choice voting. This system, used in some states, allows voters to rank candidates, with lower-finishing candidates gradually eliminated until one achieves a majority. Supporters of this voting method suggest it could eliminate the need for Georgia’s runoff elections, which typically see lower turnouts and are unpopular among voters, particularly when required due to the absence of a majority winner in the general election. The measure now advances to the full Senate for further debate. It bans ranked-choice voting for most voters but permits it for American citizens voting absentee from abroad.
As reported by Capitol Beat, Robertson said: “If you want a voter to stand in line all day, hand them a ballot with all these choices and decisions.” Ranked-choice voting is permitted across entire states only in Maine and Alaska. In Georgia, this voting method is exclusively available for members of the military and residents living overseas.
The office of Lt. Governor Burt Jones provided his statement on the matter: “Ranked-choice voting is designed to cause confusion and fatigue among voters. This type of voting system, pushed by dark money groups, could cause a drastic increase in the number of ballots being thrown out, disenfranchising Georgia voters. Georgians deserve to have the utmost faith in their elections, and those pushing Ranked-choice voting are only hindering that faith. I am proud to ban this electoral disaster and work to make Georgia’s elections the safest in the nation.”
