美国有线新闻 CNN 佐治亚州新选举法备受争议 两党意见分歧

The U.S. state of Georgia has just passed a significant new law concerning elections.

美国佐治亚州刚刚通过了一项有关选举的重要新法律。

It's making news not only because it affects how voting is handled in the "Peach State"

这之所以成为新闻，不仅是因为其会影响“桃州”（指佐治亚州）的投票方式，

but because several other states are looking at passing similar laws

而且因为其他几个州正在考虑通过类似的法律，

and many of these changes are opposed by the Biden Administration.

但其中许多修改都遭到了拜登政府的反对。

Here's what's new in Georgia.

下面来介绍一下佐治亚州的新法律。

Early voting will be expanded in most places meaning people will have more days and longer hours when they can vote in person.

大多数地区将扩大提前投票的范围，这意味着人们可以有更长的时间亲自到场投票。

For runoff elections when a second vote is held because no candidate clearly won the first,

如果因为没有候选人明确赢得第一轮选举而举行第二轮决选，

these will be shortened from nine weeks to four weeks.

投票时间将从九周缩短到四周。

For absentee ballots², when people don't vote in person,

至于缺席投票，即人们不亲自到场投票的情况，

voters will be required to show a form of identification like a driver's license³ or state ID number when they request or turn in an absentee ballot¹.

新法规定选民在申请进行或提交缺席投票时，将被要求出示驾驶执照或州身份证号码等身份证明。

And they'll have to request these ballots and send them back sooner as well.

他们必须申请获得这些选票，并尽快寄回。

The new law also says that within a certain distance of a polling place or voters standing⁴ in line,

新法律还规定，在投票站或排队选民的一定距离内，

it's illegal to display campaign material or to offer gifts, food or drinks to voters.

展示竞选材料或赠送选民礼物、食物或饮料是非法行为。

People who oppose this part of the law say it's wrong to prevent getting food or water to those who are waiting.

反对这部分法律的人表示，不应阻止等待投票的选民得到食物或水。

Supporters of the rule say handouts⁵ to voters can unfairly influence whom they vote for.

这项规定的支持者认为，向选民发放物品会不公平地影响他们的投票。

There's a partisan⁶ divide in general over voting changes like these.

投票规则变更通常存在党派分歧。

Republicans generally support them saying they're needed to protect the fairness of elections

共和党人普遍支持这些变更，他们认为需要保护选举的公平性，

and prevent voter fraud especially when it comes to mailed in ballots.

防止选举舞弊，尤其是涉及邮寄选票时。

Democrats⁷ generally oppose these changes saying they make it harder for people to vote and that they unfairly target voters who traditionally support Democrats.

民主党人普遍反对这些改变，他们认为这些改变使人们更难投票，而且不公平地针对传统上支持民主党的选民。

U.S. President Joe Biden says he'll do everything he can to stop similar efforts to change voting laws.

美国总统乔·拜登表示，他将尽一切努力阻止改变投票法的类似举动。

Last November, he became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win in Georgia since 1992

去年11月，拜登成为1992年以来第一位在佐治亚州获胜的民主党总统候选人，

and two Democrats won U.S. Senate seats in Georgia's runoff elections in January.

而且两名民主党人在1月举行的佐治亚州决选中赢得了美国参议院席位。

Bills to tighten⁸ up voting access have been introduced recently in more than 40 U.S. states.

美国40多个州最近出台了加强投票权的法案。

What remains⁹ to be seen is how many of these states will pass new election laws and whether the Federal government will set new national rules.

至于有多少州将通过新的选举法，以及联邦政府是否将制定新的国家规则，仍有待观察。

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 handouts   

救济品( handout的名词复数 )； 施舍物； 印刷品； 讲义

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts. 士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Even after losing his job, he was too proud to accept handouts. 甚至在失去工作后，他仍然很骄傲，不愿接受施舍。

6 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。