Did MLB move All-Star Game to a state with similar voting restrictions?

Major League Baseball moved its 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta in response to Georgia’s controversial new voting law, derided by critics as restricting Black voters.

It’s no surprise the baseball move was hit with criticism of its own.

The league’s decision to play the July 13 game in Denver, saying the Colorado Rockies team was already prepared to host the event, was met with claims suggesting that the league had chosen a state with voting restrictions similar to Georgia’s.

One tweet widely shared on Facebook stated:

"MLB is moving the allstar game to Colorado, which requires photo ID to vote in person, requires signature verification for mail in ballots (which Georgia got rid of), and prevents campaign workers from giving food/water to voters within 100 ft if they’re wearing campaign apparel."

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.

The claim is partially accurate.

No photo ID required

No, Colorado does not require a photo ID for registered voters to vote at the polls. 

It requires some form of identification, but it can be things such as a birth certificate, a recent utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government documents that do not contain photos.

In 2020, the vast majority of Colorado voters cast mail ballots.

Georgia requires a photo ID to vote in person.

Signature verification is required

Yes, Colorado does verify the signature on a mail-in ballot with its signature database. The state publishes a guide for signature verification "judges."

If a signature on the ballot does not match the signature in the voter’s file, the county clerk notifies the voter so the voter can fix the discrepancy.

Georgia’s new law did away with signature verification in favor of a new requirement for proof of identity.

Food-water rule less restrictive in Colorado

Yes, Colorado does prohibit certain people from giving water snacks and other items to folks waiting in line to vote. The restriction applies within 100 feet of a polling place to people who are campaigning, or are wearing anything promoting a candidate, political party or ballot measure.

But generally speaking, people are otherwise allowed to distribute those items. 

In contrast, Georgia’s new law prohibits anyone — not just campaign workers — from giving out food or drink within 150 feet of a polling place or within 25 feet of any voter standing in line. Polling places can offer "self-service water from an unattended receptacle" to voters waiting in line.

Our ruling

A Facebook post says Colorado "requires photo ID to vote in person, requires signature verification for mail in ballots (which Georgia got rid of), and prevents campaign workers from giving food/water to voters within 100 ft if they’re wearing campaign apparel."

Colorado does not require a photo ID to vote in person, but it does verify signatures on mail-in ballots. 

Colorado prohibits people wearing campaign gear from giving things to voters who are waiting in line, but Georgia prohibits anyone from doing so.

We rate the statement Half True.