Bill Text: GA HB1335 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Voter registration; any qualified 16 year old student may preregister; provisions

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-11 - House Second Readers [HB1335 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HB1335-Introduced.html

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10 LC 21 0534

House Bill 1335

By: Representatives Benfield of the 85th, Scott of the 153rd, Oliver of the 83rd, Neal of the 1st, Ashe of the 56th, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration of voters, so as to provide that any person at least 16 years old who is a student in a public, private, or registered home school and who otherwise meets all qualifications of electors may preregister to vote; to provide that any person so preregistered shall be automatically registered to vote upon attaining the age of eligibility; to provide certain conditions; to provide for a preregistration drive; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration of voters, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"21-2-237.

(a) Any person at least 16 years old who is a student in a public, private, or registered home school and who otherwise meets all qualifications of electors may preregister to vote. All provisions of this article relating to the registration of voters not in conflict with this Code section shall apply to such voter preregistration. Any person who is duly preregistered to vote shall be automatically registered to vote upon reaching the age of eligibility; provided, however, that prior to voting in an election, such person shall submit to the local board of elections evidence in the same manner as driver's education courses are certified that he or she has completed a high school level course in either civics and economics or American government. The board of registrations in each county shall verify the address of each preregistered voter not earlier than 120 days prior to such person's eighteenth birthday.

(b) The State Election Board shall initiate an ongoing, state-wide voter preregistration drive and shall adopt rules under which county boards of elections shall conduct the drive. Each county board of elections shall participate in the state-wide voter preregistration drives and conduct voter preregistration drives at public high schools and, where permitted, in private schools and home schools in accordance with local board of education policies and guidelines of the State Election Board.

(c) Local boards of education and private schools are encouraged to adopt policies to promote student voter preregistration. Such policies may include collaboration with county boards of elections to conduct voter preregistration in high schools."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.