Oconee Legislators Playing Prominent Role In Election Law Debate

The Georgia Senate passed four bills on Tuesday, including two sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert, who represents Oconee County, making changes to Georgia’s election laws.

The bills now go to the House, which has its own more far-reaching bill under consideration that was sponsored by six Republican members of a Special Committee on Election Integrity.

Houston Gaines, who represents three of Oconee County’s 12 precincts in the Georgia House of Representatives, is a member of that Special Committee, which now will review it before House action.

The House Bill would limit early voting, add additional requirements for applications for absentee ballots, limit the time line for requesting and issuing absentee ballots, and restrict the location of secure ballot drop boxes, among other things.

Cowsert had indicated before the vote that he was inclined to support the other Senate bills that passed on Tuesday.

Gaines, and Rep. Marcus Wiedower, who represents the remaining nine Oconee County precincts, have been unwilling to indicate how they feel about the bills under consideration or about the need for changes in Georgia’s election laws.

Many Republicans have called for changes in the state’s election laws following the Democratic success in the presidential and U.S. Senate races, though Republicans easily maintained their control over elections to the General Assembly.

Cowsert, Gaines, and Wiedower are all Republicans and were re-elected by comfortable margins against Democratic opposition last November.

For more on this story, please go to Oconee County Observations.