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Panel advances bill to reserve preferential voting access for specified voters during early and election-day voting; age threshold lowered by amendment
Summary
House Bill 324 would create prioritized access during early and regular voting for specified groups — including voters with certain disabilities, pregnant voters, caregivers of young or special-needs children, and elderly voters — and the subcommittee approved the measure after an amendment lowered the elderly threshold from 75 to 70.
The Elections Subcommittee advanced House Bill 324, a measure that would establish prioritized access during advance voting and on election day for specified groups, including individuals who are blind or deaf, amputees, pregnant people, voters accompanied by children age 5 or younger, voters accompanied by children with special needs regardless of the child’s age, and voters age 70 and older (amendment adopted lowered the age from 75 to 70).
Representative Ray Martinez, who presented the committee substitute version, said the measure clarifies who is eligible for preferential treatment during advance and regular voting hours and that the bill’s purpose is to make voting more accessible while guarding against abuse. He described the substitute as a committee-filed version and told members the bill is intended to be operationally straightforward for counties.
Marcy Rubinson, representing the Georgia Association of Voting Registrars and Elections Officials (GAVREO/Gavrio in the hearing transcript), told the committee the association appreciated the sponsor’s engagement and supported the bill as written. Public commenters included Lana Goitia Paz of All Voting Is Local and Rachel Lastinger of the ACLU of Georgia, both of whom said they supported expanded access but raised clarifying questions about definitions and practical implementation.
Committee member Chairman Gullett proposed an amendment lowering the age threshold for the elderly preference from 75 to 70; the amendment was seconded and adopted by voice vote. Legislative counsel was authorized to make conforming changes to the bill’s title to reflect the amendment. A motion to report the bill favorably as amended passed by voice vote.
Committee members asked for clarification about the phrase in the bill that would treat voters accompanied by "one or more children with special needs regardless of the age of such child" and whether that language would include adults under custodial care; the presenter said the intent is to include such caregivers. A bill sponsor and legislative staff said additional statutory definitions could be refined by legislative counsel before full committee if members wanted more precise drafting.
