Georgia GOP Leader Says ‘No Excuse’ Absentee Voting Likely To Remain

The Republican state senator behind one of the controversial election bills currently being debated in Georgia predicted that no-excuse absentee voting would remain Georgia law.

The prediction comes as lawmakers from the state Senate and state House try to reconcile different aspects of the election bills before they can be passed.

Sen. Mike Dugan not only sponsored the senate bill that passed last week, but he’s also the Republican leader of the senate.

Dugan met in private with his House bill counterpart on Thursday. Afterward, when asked by reporters if an element of his bill – which would eliminate no-excuse absentee voting – would stay or go, Dugan said, “I would (predict) that it’s going to go.

Dugan said opposition from House Speaker David Ralston, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and other Republicans would likely kill efforts to do away with no-excuse absentee voting.

Dugan said he’s willing to let go of that portion of the bill that some Republicans and Democrats universally find objectionable in order to keep other aspects like limiting weekend early voting and limiting drop boxes intact.

“I’m not going to stop necessary and much-needed election reform because of pride of authorship,” Dugan said.

Speaker Ralston also seemed to indicate last week that ending no-excuse early voting was unlikely to end up in the final bill.

“I don’t want to repeal no-excuse absentee voting,” Ralston said. Adding, “In the House at least, I’m not sure there’s an appetite to do that.”