Secretary of State Karen Handel Lauds the U.S. Court of Appeals Decision Upholding Georgia’s Photo ID Law

Atlanta—Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today lauded the decision by the Eleventh Circuit of the U.S. Appeals Court to uphold Georgia’s photo identification requirement.

“We conclude, based on the decision in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, 128 S. Ct. 1610 (2008), which upheld a similar law in Indiana, that the burden imposed by the requirement of photo identification is outweighed by the interests of Georgia in safeguarding the right to vote,” the Court said in their decision.

Secretary Handel said, “In the 2008 General Election and General Run-off alone, over 5 million ballots were cast in-person by voters with photo ID. I applaud this latest confirmation of Georgia’s common sense photo ID requirement.”

Karen Handel was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State's office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.