In a recent Law360 article, Fenwick partner Laurence Pulgram discussed the national and Georgia state Republican political committees’ appeal before the Eleventh Circuit to overturn a lower court's ruling that paused portions of the Election Integrity Act. The law, passed by Georgia lawmakers in 2021, has drawn legal challenges, including over the requirement of absentee voters to include their birthdate on ballot envelopes as a means of verifying voter identity.
Pulgram, who represents the voting rights groups, argued that Congress did not intend for states to disenfranchise voters by shifting minor requirements, like a date of birth or an old address, to the act of voting rather than registration.
"The record in the case reflects that elections officials acknowledge that they do not need or use birthdates on absentee ballot envelopes to ensure integrity of the system. These voters have already been determined to be entitled to submit absentee ballots," noted Pulgram.
Read the full article on Law360 to learn more about this important case (subscription required).