Republican Georgia state Sen. Butch Miller pushed back on criticisms from CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Tuesday, as well as the “false narrative” surrounding the election bill recently signed into law in his state.
Miller appeared on CNN’s “New Day” on Tuesday and attempted to refute popular arguments that the law, S.B. 202, is making it harder for people to vote. (RELATED: Republican Rep. Flames Democrats’ ‘Race Baiting’ Narrative On Georgia Election Bill)
“Help those of us outside of Georgia understand why this law, this voting law in Georgia, was necessary — and particularly, some of the elements,” Camerota began. “This law … moves the ballot drop boxes, which were so convenient in 2020 — I used a ballot drop box myself — inside. Why? Why not keep them in the most accessible position outside?”
Miller said the ballot drop boxes were not “codified” into Georgia law and “were only a function of the pandemic.” He said the drop boxes were popular and have not been outlawed with the new bill, but that they have been assigned to voting precincts based on population density.
Camerota pressed the question.
“The outside drop boxes, how was that broken? Aren’t those more convenient for people to vote?” Camerota asked again.
“We still have the drop boxes. We have them monitored. They should have been monitored all along,” Miller replied. “So now we have them inside. They’re open many, many hours. In fact, we expanded the hours of voting in Georgia, so there are many good measures to this piece of legislation.”
Camerota then claimed that the bill restricted voting hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the hours “when most people are at work.”
Miller pushed back, saying the bill had increased early voting by 33 hours during the early voting period and that the bill says voting “shall” run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but “may” run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“Very quickly because this is one that’s gotten a lot of attention,” Camerota asked again. “The food and drink … Tell us why not give elderly people who are waiting for hours in line a bottle of water?”
“This is a false narrative that you can’t give food or drink. You can have a water station, you can have a comfort station, you can have an umbrella station, you can have a food station, you can have all these — this stuff that’s accessible for those that are waiting in line,” Miller answered. “But what you can’t do is go from person to person, electioneering, and intimidating and persuading voters in the voting line.”
Camerota then thanked Miller for coming on the show to explain his “perspective” on the new law.
“Actually, I’m trying to explain the law, not my perspective, thank you,” he concluded.
Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the Georgia election bill into law on March 25. The bill has faced weeks of criticism from Democrats who say it suppresses the minority vote and has been panned by some critics as “Jim Crow 2.0.”
Biden released the statement condemning the bill on March 26. The bill has been praised by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, for lessening the potential for voter fraud.
