Atlanta Journal-Constitution Corrects False Claim that Georgia Voting Law Will Limit Voting Hours
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution issued a big correction about a voting law in Georgia after falsely claiming it would limit voting hours in the state.
The correction came on a story about celebrities who have voiced opposition to the law. “A previous version of this story said the new law would limit voting hours,” the paper said in its correction. “On Election Day in Georgia, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and if you are in line by 7 p.m., you are allowed to cast your ballot. Nothing in the new law changes those rules.
“However, the law made some changes to early voting,” the paper added. “The bill adds a second mandatory Saturday of early voting for general elections but removes two weeks of early voting before runoffs.”
This, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, addresses only one of the falsehoods being spread about the Georgia election law. Note the last line. pic.twitter.com/yyHeu8oDMY
— Brit Hume (@brithume) April 1, 2021
The law defined voting hours to mean business hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., though it allows local officials to keep polling places open until 7 p.m. Democrats including President Joe Biden have nonetheless taken aim at the law with claims that voting hours would be limited. “What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is,” Biden said in remarks last month. “It’s sick … deciding that you’re going to end voting at five o’clock when working people are just getting off work.”
Biden’s claim received a harsh review from The Washington Post, which allotted it four out of five “pinocchios” for being worse than “mostly false.” The paper’s Glenn Kessler noted,”Not a single expert we consulted who has studied the law understood why Biden made this claim, as this was the section of law that expanded early voting for many Georgians.”
The law additionally contained provisions requiring absentee voters to provide proof of identity, and prohibiting activist groups from distributing food or beverages to voters standing in line.
