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03 LC 19 5622
House Bill 28
By: Representative Brooks of the 47th
By: Representative Brooks of the 47th
A BILL TO BE
ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to
provide that each person registering to vote shall declare a political party
preference; to provide that in a primary election, a voter shall be entitled to
vote the ballot of the political party designated on the voter´s
registration card; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, is amended by
inserting at the end of Part 2 of Article 4 a new Code Section 21_2_159 to read
as
follows:
"21_2_159.
In a primary election, a qualified elector is entitled to vote the official primary election ballot of the political party designated on the elector´s registration card and no other. It shall be unlawful for any elector to vote in a primary for any candidate running for nomination from a political party other than that in which such elector is registered, except as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 21_2_221.1, relating to unaffiliated electors."
"21_2_159.
In a primary election, a qualified elector is entitled to vote the official primary election ballot of the political party designated on the elector´s registration card and no other. It shall be unlawful for any elector to vote in a primary for any candidate running for nomination from a political party other than that in which such elector is registered, except as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 21_2_221.1, relating to unaffiliated electors."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, is further amended by
inserting immediately following Code Section 21_2_221 a new Code Section
21_2_221.1 to read as
follows:
"21_2_221.1.
"21_2_221.1.
(a) Each application for voter registration shall provide a
place for the applicant to state a preference to be affiliated with one of the
political parties registered with the Secretary of State under Code Section
21_2_110 or a preference to be an 'unaffiliated' voter. Every person who applies
to register shall state his or her preference, and such preference shall be
designated on the registration card. If the applicant fails to declare a
preference for a political party or for unaffiliated status, that person shall
be listed as unaffiliated.
(b) The application for voter registration shall inform the applicant that any elector may decline to state a political affiliation, but no person shall be entitled to vote the ballot of any political party at any primary election unless he or she has stated the name of the party with which he or she intends to affiliate or unless he or she has declined to state a party affiliation and the political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a person who has declined to state a party affiliation to vote the ballot of that political party. The application for voter registration shall include a listing of all registered political parties.
(c) Any elector who desires to have the record of his or her political party affiliation or unaffiliated status changed on the registration list shall, no later that the deadline for making application to register under Code Section 21_2_224 before the election, indicate the change on a voter registration application form. No elector shall be permitted to change party affiliation or unaffiliated status for a primary, special, or general election after the deadlines for registration applications for that election as set out in Code Section 21_2_224."
(b) The application for voter registration shall inform the applicant that any elector may decline to state a political affiliation, but no person shall be entitled to vote the ballot of any political party at any primary election unless he or she has stated the name of the party with which he or she intends to affiliate or unless he or she has declined to state a party affiliation and the political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a person who has declined to state a party affiliation to vote the ballot of that political party. The application for voter registration shall include a listing of all registered political parties.
(c) Any elector who desires to have the record of his or her political party affiliation or unaffiliated status changed on the registration list shall, no later that the deadline for making application to register under Code Section 21_2_224 before the election, indicate the change on a voter registration application form. No elector shall be permitted to change party affiliation or unaffiliated status for a primary, special, or general election after the deadlines for registration applications for that election as set out in Code Section 21_2_224."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
repealed.