The One Lesson for Both Parties From Georgia’s Runoff
Republicans and Democrats should stop tinkering with voting rules and election dates and just make their case to voters.
Early voting begins early in Georgia.
Photographer: Alex Wong/Getty Images North AmericaGeorgia’s candidates and voters are undoubtedly grateful that this year’s Senate campaign, unlike the last one, was over before the holidays. But the state legislature’s decision to hold the 2022 runoff a month earlier than the 2020 runoff wasn’t motivated by a desire to make things more convenient for everyone. Instead, it’s representative of an unfortunate trend in US politics: the frequent revision of electoral rules in pursuit of partisan advantage.
Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on much, but both parties subscribe to the traditional assumption that making it easier for citizens to vote systematically benefits Democratic candidates. This bipartisan consensus on the consequences of user-friendly balloting has bred bitter conflict over how elections should be run.