Ruling Allows Georgia to Continue Voter Eligibility Verification

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today hailed U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp's ruling denying a request by the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to force Georgia to suspend verification of voter eligibility prior to the November 4 General Election.

"I am very pleased with Judge Camp's decision. The verification process is essential to protect the integrity of our voter rolls and elections," said Handel.

The eligibility of new applicants to register and vote is checked against the Georgia Department of Driver Services and Social Security Administration databases to ensure that individuals registering to vote report proper information. If information in these databases does not match information reported on the voter registration form, the applicant is asked to clarify their information. Additionally, if the applicant previously reported that they are not a U.S. citizen to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, they are asked to provide proof of citizenship.

Judge Camp wrote that if the state could not utilize the verification process, "local registrars will have no practical means of identifying which registrants are not citizens, and the mere possibility of fraudulent voting could damage the public's respect for the electoral process."