Georgia Democrats outraged over push to limit weekend voting

GOP claims proposal offers parity

This 2016 file photo, shows voters casting ballots during early voting in Atlanta. Georgia Democrats are outraged over a bill pending in the state legislature that would limit counties to offering only one weekend day for early voting per election. But Republicans argue that Georgians should have equal access to the polls during federal and state elections, with each county having the same number of early-voting opportunities. - photo by Associated Press

W dem — This 2016 file photo, shows voters casting ballots during early voting in Atlanta. Georgia Democrats are outraged over a bill pending in the state legislature that would limit counties to offering only one weekend day for early voting per election. But Republicans argue that Georgians should have equal access to the polls during federal and state elections, with each county having the same number of early-voting opportunities. - photo by Associated Press

ATLANTA — Georgia Republicans want to limit early voting so that no county can offer it on both on a Saturday and a Sunday.Democrats are outraged; they say the plan is designed to help GOP candidates."They're targeting likely Democratic voters to stifle the opportunity to cast a ballot," said Sen. Lester Jackson, a Savannah Democrat and the chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus. "Working-class Georgians need opportunities to participate in the governmental process."Under a bill sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, counties would only be able to offer early voting on weekdays and one weekend day. County officials would get to choose whether the polls would be open on one Saturday or one Sunday, but not both.In addition to four weeks of weekday early voting opportunities, each of Georgia's 159 counties is currently required to offer early voting on at least one Saturday.

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