New rules recommended for mail-in voting; Constituents react to MTG resignation

Summary

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Georgia Today – November 25, 2025

Host: Orlando Montoya (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Main Themes: New mail-in voting proposals, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation, local philanthropy, youth support, economic challenges

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Episode Overview

This edition of Georgia Today delivers concise reporting on urgent Georgia issues, including a recommendation to restrict mail-in voting, fallout from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation, a record-breaking donation to Georgia College and State University, ongoing support for vulnerable youth, food insecurity solutions, changes in cotton farming, and the Savannah Bananas’ latest initiative to combat ticket scalping.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Proposed Limits on Mail-In Voting (00:34–01:43)

• The Georgia State Election Board voted to recommend ending “no-excuse” absentee ballots, aligning with a broader national movement to restrict mail-based voting ahead of the 2026 midterms.
• The Board itself does not set policy; action would require legislative approval in the upcoming session.
• Expert viewpoint: David Becker (Center for Election Innovation and Research) highlights the outsized impact of such a move on rural voters who rely on the postal system for voting.
  • Quote (01:22): “For voters living in rural areas who really depend upon the mail... they could find that there are real problems.” — David Becker

2. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Early Resignation and Constituent Reactions (01:43–03:18)

• Rep. Greene’s resignation surprised many in her GOP-stronghold district. Political analysts expect a competitive special election, with several Republican state senators rumored as possible candidates.
• GPB’s Sarah Kalis gathers constituent reactions in Rome, GA:
  • Some approve of Greene stepping down to avoid a Trump-backed primary challenge.
  • Others express disappointment over the sudden lack of congressional representation.
  • Quote (02:52): “I wish he had not done it at this situation. It does leave us without representation until somebody's appointed.” — Floyd Farless, constituent
  • Quote (02:59): “She has been somewhat of a firebrand, but every area has got their own, and she would have been reelected for sure here. I don't think any question about it.” — Floyd Farless

3. Supporting Unhoused Young Adults in Atlanta (03:18–03:57)

• Covenant House Georgia plans to distribute care packages to unhoused youth, including hygiene items and handwritten notes from volunteers.
• Volunteer AG Bankula Hamid underscores the importance of messages of hope for recipients.
  • Quote (03:45): “It's something simple, like after the night comes, the sun always rises. It's just something simple that they can remember… shows that tough times don't last.” — AG Bankula Hamid

4. Combating Food Insecurity During the Holidays (04:08–05:42)

• Convoy of Hope launches a nationwide initiative to distribute 10 million meals by year’s end, with Chapel Hill Church in Douglasville acting as a hub for metro Atlanta.
• Rising costs are increasing the numbers of families seeking help.

5. Georgia's Cotton Industry Faces Historic Decline (04:50–05:42)

• Georgia’s cotton acreage fell to a 30-year low in 2025, with harvest down 22% from 2024.
  • Causes: global oversupply, decreased demand, and resulting price drops.

6. Record Gift to Georgia College & State University (05:42–06:31)

• The late Gertrude Ehrlich, once a refugee from Nazi-occupied Austria and a former student, bequeathed $9 million for Pell-eligible students.
• Ehrlich’s legacy is especially meaningful given her own start at the college via a refugee scholarship.
  • Quote (06:05): “And I was the second refugee scholar. They were so kind to me… I didn’t pay a penny.” — Gertrude Ehrlich (2017 interview)

7. Savannah Bananas’ Anti-scalping Ticket Marketplace (07:04–end)

• The exhibition baseball team is developing a platform for verified resale of tickets to outmaneuver scalpers and ensure genuine access for fans.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On mail-in voting concerns:
  “For voters living in rural areas who really depend upon the mail... they could find that there are real problems.”
  — David Becker, 01:22

• On Greene’s resignation:
  “I wish he had not done it at this situation. It does leave us without representation until somebody's appointed.”
  — Floyd Farless, 02:52

• Words of encouragement for youth:
  “It’s something simple, like after the night comes, the sun always rises… shows that tough times don’t last.”
  — AG Bankula Hamid, 03:45

• A legacy of generosity:
  “And I was the second refugee scholar. They were so kind to me… I didn’t pay a penny.”
  — Gertrude Ehrlich, 06:05

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:34 — Election Board votes to recommend mail-in voting limits
• 01:22 — Expert comment on rural voter disenfranchisement
• 01:43 — Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation overview
• 02:52 — Constituent reaction: Floyd Farless
• 03:27 — Covenant House Georgia care package project
• 03:45 — AG Bankula Hamid on message of hope
• 04:08 — Convoy of Hope’s nationwide meal distribution
• 04:50 — Decline in Georgia’s cotton harvest
• 05:42 — Gertrude Ehrlich’s $9 million donation
• 06:05 — Ehrlich reflects on her college experience
• 07:04 — Savannah Bananas launch ticket marketplace

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Summary

This episode of Georgia Today spotlights major news affecting communities across Georgia: the potential shift in voting access, political ripple effects in the wake of a notable resignation, the importance of targeted philanthropy for education and the homeless, economic shifts affecting both families and farmers, and creative local responses to challenges old and new. The tone remains accessible, informative, and community-focused throughout.

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Transcript

[Orlando Montoya]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the Georgia State Election Board votes to recommend putting new limits on mail in voting. A former student gives Milledgeville's Georgia College and State University its largest ever gift and constituents react to the early resignation of Congresswoman Mo Marjorie Taylor Greene.

[Floyd Farless]

I wish he had not done it at this situation. It does leave us without a representation until somebody's appointed.

[Orlando Montoya]

Today is Tuesday, November 25th. I'm Orlando Montoya, and this is Georgia Today. The Georgia State Election Board voted last month to recommend ending Georgia's no excuse absentee ballot policy. GPB's Chase McGee has more on the nationwide push to limit voting by mail.

[Chase McGee]

The State Election Board's policy sets up a legislative battle since the appointed board can't set policy themselves. Last year, the board declined to change Georgia's policy. But this move comes as several states are also considering redistricting and other changes to election procedures ahead of the 2026 midterms. David Becker is the founder of the center for Election Innovation and Research. He says limiting or doing away with mail in voting often disenfranchises rural voters.

[David Becker]

For voters living in rural areas who really depend upon the mail states that have widespread mail voting Montana, Idaho, Utah, a lot of states in the west that do this, they could find that there are real problems.

[Chase McGee]

Lawmakers could revisit the practice in January with the start of the legislative session. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Orlando Montoya]

Rome Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's decision to resign from the U.S. house could topple some political dominoes in a GOP stronghold. A special election to fill her seat could be called as early as February. Political watchers expect several Republican state senators to consider running in Greene's northwest Georgia district. Colton Moore of Trenton says he's exploring the idea. Others, including Jason Anavatarte of Dallas, Ed Setzler of Acworth and Chuck Payne of Dalton, have had their names tossed around but did not immediately respond to requests for comment yesterday. Meanwhile, her resignation after publicly disagreeing with President Donald Trump has surprised some of her constituents. GPB's Sarah Kalis spoke with voters in Rome.

[Sarah Kalis]

Voters living in Greene's district overwhelmingly supported her in the 2024 election. Some agreed with her decision to leave Congress early and avoid a primary where President Trump vowed to back an opponent. Others were disappointed in her decision. Constituent Floyd Farless from Rome says he voted for Greene.

[Floyd Farless]

I wish he had not done it at this situation. It does leave us without representation until somebody's appointed. She has been somewhat of a firebrand, but every area has got their own, and she would have been reelected for sure here. I don't think any question about it.

[Sarah Kalis]

A special election to replace Greene is expected early next year. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallas in Rome.

[Orlando Montoya]

An Atlanta nonprofit is planning a care package giveaway for unhoused young adults tomorrow. GPB's Peter Biello has more.

[Peter Biello]

Covenant House Georgia provides shelter and support to youth experiencing homelessness in Atlanta. The packages will contain hygiene products like soap, as well as a handwritten card from volunteers offering words of support. Volunteer AG Bankula Hamid spearheaded the project. He says the messages in the cards are meant to offer hope.

[AG Bankula Hamid]

It's something simple, like after the night comes, the sun always rises. You know, that's one of them that we wrote down. It's just something simple that they can remember. It's impactful that, you know, shows that tough times don't last.

[Peter Biello]

Organizers are aiming to give away 50 of these care packages tomorrow at Covenant House Georgia in northwest Atlanta from 10am to noon. For GPB News, I'm Peter Biellor.

[Orlando Montoya]

A humanitarian group is stepping in to help families struggling with rising costs this holiday season. Convoy of Hope has launched an initiative to distribute 10 million meals nationwide from now until the end of the year. The group partners with food pantries, churches and civic organizations to get groceries directly to families who need them in metro Atlanta. Chapel Hill Church in Douglasville, which runs a food pantry, is serving as a key distribution partner. The group says the need is growing as more families face higher costs from food, health care and everyday expenses. Georgia's cotton acreage has fallen to its lowest level in three decades. U.S. department of Agriculture data released on Nov. 14 shows Georgia farmers harvested 830,000 acres of cotton in 2025, 22% lower than in 2024. A cotton agronomist at the University of Georgia says global supply has surged while demand has slumped, leading to low prices, causing many farmers to pass on planting cotton. A late alumna of Georgia College and State University in Middle Georgia's Milledgeville has given the college its largest ever gift. The College says the $9 million bequest has announced last week will support financially vulnerable students. As GPB's Grant Blankenship explains, the woman who made the donation came to the school as a refugee.

[Grant Blankenship]

Gertrude Ehrlich was a college tenured PhD mathematician with advanced degrees from the University of Tennessee and from Chapel Hill. She taught for 37 years at the University of Maryland that was after fleeing Nazi occupied Vienna with her family as a child in 1939 and after her undergraduate studies at Georgia College and State University, which was which, he told an interviewer in 2017, were made possible by a special refugee scholarship.

[Unidentified Refugee Scholar]

And I was the second refugee scholar. They were so kind to me.

[Floyd Farless]

I mean, you know, I didn't pay a penny.

[Grant Blankenship]

Ehrlich's gift of $9 million will go to Pell eligible students at Georgia College starting fall of next year. Ehrlich passed away this year at the age of 102. For GPB news, I'm Grant Blankenship.

[Pamela Kirkland]

A toxic fire, a plume of smoke, and a community demanding ANSWERS. In Conyers, Georgia, the BioLab disaster left residents searching for truth and accountability. This season, GPB uncovers system failures, hears from whistleblowers, and follows neighbors still fighting to be heard. I'm Pamela Kirkland. Join me for season two of Manufacturing Danger, the Bio Biolab Story. Listen now at gpb.org podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Orlando Montoya]

And finally, on this episode, the Savannah Bananas are planning to create a marketplace for verified secondary tickets. The wildly popular exhibition baseball team announced the initiative yesterday. Team founder Jesse Cole says the system aims to protect fans from a flood flood of online scalpers and fake tickets. And that's it for today's edition of GEORGIA Today. If you'd like to learn more about these stories, visit gpb.org news if you haven't yet hit subscribe on this podcast, take a moment right now and keep us current in your podcast feed. If you have feedback, we'd love to hear it. Email us at GEORGIA Today pb. I'm Orlando Montoya, and I'll talk to you again tomorrow.