Georgia Senate passes voting bill over Democrats’ objections

(The Center Square) – Georgia Senate Democrats echoed their House counterparts on Saturday, opposing bills that would address the state’s voting system and local sales taxes for property tax relief.

Senate Bill 3EX, as presented to the full body, included a new amendment requiring hand recounts of the top two races in an election.

Democrats had already opposed the bill in the Senate Ethics Committee on Thursday, saying it did not guarantee their party would have a seat on a commission that would create the new voting system. They also rejected the amendment.

Senate Minority Leader Kim Jackson of Stone Mountain said the amendment would burden the state’s 159 counties. Jackson used Fulton County, the state’s largest county, and this year’s general election as examples.

“Fulton County will have to hire a ton of people to come in and hand count each, every ballot for both the U.S. Senate race and the gubernatorial race,” Jackson said. “A party that talks about being a conservative party is adding an inc...