8A WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024 THE POST-CRESCENT Milton Kidd has been an election administrator in Georgia since 2012. But since the 2020 presidential election, he has felt the climate around his work shift. Some of it is be- cause of increased threats and animosity from voters, but another part is related to new regulations that Kidd said have constricted his resources and changed how it operates. paying lip service in this country that we value Kidd, director of elections and regis- tration in Douglas County, Georgia, told USA TODAY. not being shown by the laws that are being More than half of U.S.
states have enacted laws since 2021 that could limit voter access and inhibit the ability of to administer elections, according to a new report published by the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, which tracks election-related legislation nationwide. At the national level, former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have legislation to prevent noncitizens from voting, which is already illegal in federal elections. But other new rules are already in in major 2024 battleground states, including Georgia, that could help to decide the results of a close presi- dential election. In Georgia, in particular, a series of election rules passed over the past three years threatens to overbur- den election and, in some cases, issue crimi- nal penalties against them. New election measures passed by the Republican-led state Legislature in late March that are awaiting a signature from Gov.
Brian Kemp could further hamper the way elections operate if enacted, experts say. Liz Avore, lead author of the Voting Rights Lab re- port, argued that these laws take toward almost treating election like they are suspects in a and election like crime For the election workers with whom USA TODAY spoke, however, the main concern is that the height- ened regulations may hinder the recruitment of poll workers for the 2024 election. Republican leaders in the state, including Kemp and Secretary of State Brad have de- fended the laws, arguing they bring enhanced security and provide clarity around laws for election said he see an issue with poll worker recruitment in 2022 after some of the initial election laws were passed, and expect to see any in 2024. In recent years, Kidd said, one of his biggest work- related fears has been making a mistake on the job that could land him in prison. Georgia is among nine states that have enacted laws ramping up investigations into and prosecution of election crimes, according to the Voting Rights Lab report.
A measure passed in the sweeping 2021 election integrity law opened election workers up to felony prosecution if they issue an absentee ballot re- quest form to a person who does not request one. An- other passed in 2023 made it a felony, punishable by up to a year in prison, for to accept more than $500 in private funding for election administration. Until the past few years, neither action was illegal. Election across the country, including those in Georgia, accepted grant money to supplement fund- ing provided by their states in 2020. The extra money allowed them to hire more poll workers, increase edu- cational outreach to voters and boost other capabil- ities.
But false claims that private money the 2020 election led Georgia and 26 other states to pass laws cracking down on the use of outside money. In Georgia a state that had a $16 billion budget surplus in 2023 there have been no to in- crease the budgets of election or provide al- ternative sources of funding as a result of the ban on private money. Meanwhile, the state has enacted measures that have changed the way elections are run and that may increase the workload of elections Under the changes, Kidd argued, not inconceiv- able that election workers could make those felony- level mistakes especially during another possible election when juggling multiple tasks under tight deadlines. expected to pull out what will be the largest election in U.S. history and the associated with it with less funding than we had for Kidd said.
of all the changes rushing, most of the time working with inexperienced he added. yes, you have the opportunity to make The state requires a election in races in which no candidate receives more than of the vote. The Legislature changed the date of the in 2021 from nine weeks after the election to four weeks, citing concerns that the timeline was exhausting for candidates and voters. The current RealClearPolitics average of polls in Georgia, which was calculated using polls published between early March and mid-April, shows neither Trump nor President Joe Biden reaching that threshold. Trump holds 49.7% support and Biden 45.7%, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 per- centage points.
Kidd argued that recruitment challenges in his county may be further compounded in 2024 by cut- ting the time frame for elections in half. a four-week run for the November election means that election workers will be working over the holidays, including Thanksgiving, where we have a hard time recruiting poll workers because everyone is with their he said. Because the state requires three weeks of early vot- ing, the new time frame also means election will have only one week after this general election to count the results, reprogram the equip- ment, print new ballots and send out absentee ballot application forms. In a state known for close margins in its elections, that could wreak havoc on the system. even the previous election before you are actively having to basically turn around and do it all over again in a matter of three days for what took you months to prepare Kidd said.
New Georgia laws worry election workers Karissa Waddick USA TODAY More than half of U.S. states have enacted laws since 2021 that could limit voter access and inhibit the ability of officials to administer elections, according to a report by the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab. BARBARA LEDGER FILE William G. Harness Jr. NEENAH William G.
Harness Jr. 94, of Neenah, died Sunday, April 29, 2024, at CopperStone Assisted Living in Neenah. A visitation for family and friends will be on Friday, May 3, 3024, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St.
Winneconne. A funeral service will be held on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A luncheon will follow at the American Legion Hall in Winneconne. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Neenah.
For a full obituary or to submit online please go to muellerfh. net. Mueller Funeral Home-Winneconne is assisting the family. NEENAH William G. Harness Jr.
94, of Neenah, died Sunday, April 29, 2024, at Cop- perStone Assisted Liv- ing in Neenah. A visitation for fam- ily and friends will be on Friday, May 3, 3024, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St. Winneconne.
A funer- al service will be held on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A luncheon will follow at the American Legion Hall in Winneconne. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Neenah. For a full obituary or to submit online con- please go to muellerfh.
net. Mueller Funeral Home-Winneconne is assisting the family. William G. Harness Jr. Joseph W.
Vogl APPLETON Joseph W. Vogl, age 62, of Appleton, passed away on Friday, April 26, 2024. For a full obituary please visit the funeral home website at www. btnfuneral.com. APPLETON Joseph W.
Vogl, age 62, of Ap- pleton, passed away on Friday, April 26, 2024. For a full obituary please visit the funeral home website at www. btnfuneral.com. Joseph W. Vogl Obituaries Persia Straub LAKEWOOD Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Persia Straub of Lakewood, WI, passed into the loving arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
Persia was born on October 22, 1932 in Potsdam, MN to Neil C. and Daisy V. Ferguson. After graduating high school and leaving Minnesota, Persia went onto college and earned a liberal arts degree in English at UW Milwaukee. Persia had a calling while in college to religious life and entered the Novitiate in Ronkonkoma, New York, remaining there for 2 years.
While at the Novitiate, she was called back to her former life. During that time, Persia found a position at Bruce Publishing Company which published books in education, history, religion and technical topics in Milwaukee. Persia held a position of copywriter, and it was there that she would meet her future husband, William, who was an editor. Persia was very involved with The Van Buren Players community theatre in the 3rd ward of Milwaukee in the and also taught second grade at Saint Catholic School. During early married years, their partnership included being involved with many community outreach programs, including providing shelter to those in need.
She left a strong imprint on her daughters with this example. Persia was a well-traveled lady seeing some wonderful destinations including, Israel, Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Switzerland, Hawaii and the ancestral land in England and France. Persia leaves many deeply missing her on this earth, including her beloved daughters, Caroline (Daniel) Alloy of Lakewood, Wisconsin and Zoe Straub (special companion June) of Escondido, California; grandchildren, Abby Beisner, Jacob (Christel) Wirth, Robert (Keila) Alloy, Tony (Kacie) Alloy; great grandchildren, Giuseppe, Gianna, Salvatore, Pearl, Dominic, Gabby, Jack, Hayden; friends. Persia now joins those waiting to greet her in heaven, including the father of her children, William; beloved Kathleen; beloved mother, Daisy; grandmother, Caroline; and we are sure many others. The family would like to thank Father Praveen with St.
of the Lake- Lakewood and the staffs of Unity Hospice and Lakewood Clinic, especially Peggy Christianson, for their compassionate, tender care of our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Per Mothers wishes, a celebration of life will be held over summer- her favorite time of the year. Gruetzmacher Funeral Home of Suring is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be expressed at www.gruetzmacherfuneralhome.com. are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my Mahatma Gandhi behind you, be bless my Caroline Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN.
