Georgia Wet Signature Challenge
Vote.org v. Georgia State Election Board
Lawsuit filed on behalf of Vote.org, Georgia Alliance for Retired Americans and Priorities USA challenging Georgia’s “wet signature” requirement for absentee ballot applications. Under Senate Bill 202, absentee ballot applications must be signed with pen and ink, which is commonly referred to as a wet signature requirement. This is despite the fact that digital signatures are widely accepted in other contexts, such as obtaining a driver’s or hunting license or for completing real estate transactions.
The plaintiffs argue that voters who rely on absentee voting but lack access to a printer and would otherwise submit their application online may be disenfranchised due to this arbitrary rule. Because absentee ballot applications may be rejected for reasons that are unrelated to voters’ eligibility, the lawsuit alleges that the wet signature requirement violates the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act and should be blocked by the court.
STATUS: Litigation is ongoing. On March 7, 2024, the defendants filed motions for summary judgment.
Case Documents
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