LETTER: Myths about Georgia’s voting law

In his March 30 letter, Donald Henderson states that Georgia’s S.B.202 prohibits handing out water to voters standing in line. This is a myth traveling the airwaves and social media posts. I encourage everyone to please reference the actual bill for clarity.

The Georgia bill clearly states that no person shall solicit votes at a polling location by distributing campaign material or giving any gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to voters. The bill specifically states that “this code section shall not be construed to prohibit a poll officer … from making available self-service water from an unattended receptacle to a voter waiting in line to vote.”

Further, the bill does not prohibit voters from bringing their own food and water nor from ordering food from a delivery service while waiting in line. Additionally, if you wish to donate food or drinks to voters, you are free to do so as long as you make them available to everyone in line.

This is about vote solicitation at polling places and not about vote suppression.