The Georgia House passed a bill Monday that would be detrimental to free and fair elections in the state.

According to a story in the Associated Press, “The far-reaching bill would require a photo ID for absentee voting, limit the amount of time voters have to request an absentee ballot, restrict where ballot drop boxes could be located and when they could be accessed, and limit early voting hours on weekends, among many other changes.”

Critics of the bill say that these changes would disproportionately affect voters of color. The bill will now be debated in the State senate.

We at The Daily Eastern News think that this bill would make a mockery of democracy in Georgia and would perhaps set a blueprint that other states would want to follow.

This bill is even worse when you consider the context. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden won the popular vote in Georgia and two Democratic senators were elected from the state.

This bill is a direct backlash to that and its only purpose seems to be to control the outcome of future elections in Georgia and ignore the will of the people.

The fact that, in 2021, a state feels that it is acceptable to try and pass this legislation shows how far we have to go to become a nation that is fair and equal.

As things stand, a state can try to restrict its own people from having their voices heard in an election. and that needs to end.