The Georgia State Legislature passed legislation aimed to curb foreign influence in elections.
A bill that could limit foreign influence in elections passed the Georgia General Assembly in a nearly unanimous vote with only two elected officials voting “nay” on it.
Senate Bill 368 Government Transparency and Campaign Finance prohibits foreign nationals from “contributing to candidates or campaign committees” and prohibits “candidates and campaign committees from accepting contributions” from them. It would also require “agents of foreign principals to register with the State Ethics Commissioner.”
Rep. Mike Cheokas (R-Americus) asked the Assembly sponsor, Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell) if family from outside of the country could donate to family running for office.
“If they’re foreign nationals or an organization they cannot make a donation,” Powell responded.
Cheokas was one of two elected officials who voted against the election integrity legislation along with Rep. J Collins (R-Villa Rica).
Despite Cheokas questioning the bill, another state representative encouraged others to vote for it.
“Election integrity and security is important, and what we want to do is ensure the ballot box in Georgia is sacred and it is there for citizens, and it is not cheapened by foreign influence and money on our elections,” Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) said.
While the bill passed with both Democrats and Republicans voting for it, it did initially have some contention in the Senate as the Democrats voted against engrossing the bill on February 26, but it ended up passing unanimously the next day.
The Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger backed the bill and applauded the legislature for passing it.
“This is a commonsense measure to safeguard Georgia elections against foreign interference,” Raffensperger said in a statement shared on the Secretary of State’s website. “Georgia voters need to know that their elections are free of foreign interference and that representatives of foreign entities register and disclose their activities. I am grateful for the efforts of Chairman Rick Williams in authoring the bill and for Chairman Alan Powell carrying it in the House.”
“The support for this measure was bipartisan and nearly unanimous,” he continued.
The Federal Election Commission currently prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures, and disbursements “solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election.”
This bill would aim to provide a “clear prohibition for foreign nationals” participating in Georgia elections and add an extra level of transparency by requiring these foreign agents to register and also require them to “disclose to government agencies and the General Assembly when such agents are advocating on behalf of a foreign principal.”
Georgia is considered a swing state for the presidential election, and the state has focused on changing election laws since the 2020 election.
