Georgia Republicans want to ban ranked-choice voting

Elections have been a hot-button issue in Georgia in recent years.

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor

Published: January 16, 2024 11:00pm

(The Center Square) -

(The Center Square) — A pair of Georgia Republicans have proposed legislation to ban ranked-choice voting in the state.

In a news release, Lt. Governor Burt Jones and state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, who announced Senate Bill 355 on Tuesday, called out "those on the Left" as among the proponents who want ranked-choice voting. Such a move would open "the door for voter confusion, political manipulation, and increased polarization."

"Ranked-choice voting is designed to cause confusion and fatigue among voters," Jones, a Republican, said in an announcement. "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."

However, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has called on lawmakers to eliminate runoffs. Raffensperger did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

However, on Tuesday, Raffensperger said his office had referred 17 cases of people suspected of voting twice in the 2022 general election. The people suspected of double-voting cast ballots in Georgia and another state during the election, and prosecutors will decide whether to pursue charges, according to a release from Raffensperger.

"One illegal vote cast is too many," Raffensperger said in a statement. "Georgians deserve to have their voice heard fully, not have it diluted by bad actors."

Elections have been a hot-button issue in Georgia in recent years, particularly after the 2020 election and the passage of Senate Bill 202, the Election Integrity Act. While Democrats, including those at the national level, like to lambast Georgia’s voting laws, Republicans are quick to point to recent elections, which have seen increased voter turnout.