Georgia election officials are promoting a program that allows victims of domestic violence to register to vote without having to publicly reveal their home addresses.
The VoteSafe program keeps victims’ residential addresses confidential, making an exception to a state law that requires the public availability of names and addresses of registered voters.
The State Election Board encouraged people threatened by domestic violence or stalking to enroll in VoteSafe after considering a complaint in August that questioned the registrations of voters who listed UPS stores or post office boxes as their addresses.
“It gives voters who are afraid the tools to still be able to participate in our democracy while remaining safe,” board member Sara Tindall Ghazal said.
Georgians shouldn’t have to choose between their right to vote and their personal security, board member Matt Mashburn said.
“One of the responses we received was particularly heartbreaking because this person responded, ‘I use this UPS box, not for purposes of fraud, but because someone wants to kill me,’ ” Mashburn said.
Only about 100 people are currently enrolled in VoteSafe, which the General Assembly approved in 2009, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Under the VoteSafe program, voters’ residential addresses are kept confidential but mailing addresses remain public.
Votesafe is available to registered voters who have a protective order, a restraining order or are residents of a family violence center.
Georgians can enroll in VoteSafe by submitting an application and documents to their county’s elections office.
About the Author
