New Citizens Can Vote If They Provide Proof Of Citizenship

ATLANTA, GA -- A federal judge ruled Friday afternoon that naturalized US citizens who've been blocked from registering in Georgia must be allowed to vote if they can provide proof of citizenship at the polls. The ruling comes just hours before next Tuesday's nationally watched Georgia governor's race, in which Stacey Abrams is seeking to become the nation's first African-American female governor in history.

Abrams' opponent is Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who was arguing that state law already provides a process in which new citizens can vote. But U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross ruled against Kemp, granting an injunction allowing any new naturalized citizen to vote after showing proof of citizenship to a poll manager or deputy registrar.

“Allowing poll managers to verify proof of citizenship would alleviate the severe burden on individuals who have been flagged and placed in pending status for citizenship while still serving the state’s interest of ensuring that only United States’ citizens are voting,” Ross wrote.

Kemp has been under criticism in the race for allegedly engaging in voter suppression efforts. Georgia has placed almost 47,000 voter registrations on hold because the state's "exact match" law flags those applications until the registrants provide citizenship.

Kemp is aiming to maintain GOP control of the governor's office the party has enjoyed since 2002. Both are running to replace Gov. Nathan Deal, who cannot run for a third term.

More than 1.5 million ballots have already been cast in a race that national Democrats hope will become a swing state, as the nation's midterm elections are widely being seen as a referendum on Trump's administration. Early voting throughout the state ends Friday, Nov. 2.

The race has attracted national dollars, celebrities and political figures. Over the campaign's final weekends, actor Will Ferrell, Oprah Winfrey and former president Barack Obama all campaigned for Abrams, while President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence rallied for Kemp.

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