Let Georgia Vote!
Georgia captured the nation’s imagination after a 2020 general election where President Biden was elected – the first Democrat in 28 years to win this state, and the historic 2021 runoff that culminated in the election of two Democratic Senate candidates: the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
This past election cycle validated the incredible organizing, education and advocacy that has been done to turn our state blue. The SPLC joined a robust and diverse coalition, led by Black women, contributing nearly $3 million to Georgia organizations through the Vote Your Voice initiative – and investing nearly $7 million across the Deep South.
Now, Republicans in this state threaten our progress. They are using the dangerous conspiracies theories that questioned the election results to create and pass anti-voter policies that will significantly harm Georgia voters, especially Black and Brown voters, disabled voters, seniors, students and low-income voters. The worst of these bills, HB 531 and SB 241, represent two omnibus bills that have been cobbled together with several terrible provisions with the ultimate goal of making it harder for Georgians to vote. These two “Frankenstein” anti-voter bills have been shuttled through the legislative process – often without enough public notice or review.
In the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic, Georgians turned out to vote in record numbers. In response, Georgia Republicans moved to punish these voters, using manufactured and dangerous lies about voter fraud and election irregularities to restrict Georgians’ freedom to vote by erecting new barriers and poll taxes. These policies are a rebirth of Jim Crow-era laws that so many people, including the late Congressman John Lewis, sacrificed to end. Some of the provisions include limiting weekend and early voting, ending no-excuse absentee voting and creating onerous absentee voter ID requirements. They are all part of a pattern of anti-voter political activity that continues to promote and perpetuate the deadly conspiracy theories that drove thousands of people to political violence on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol.
There has been zero evidence of widespread fraud during the 2020 general and 2021 runoff elections. Federal and state officials have deemed this a secure, free, and fair election. Yet we continue to see an escalation of extremist activity, disinformation and incitement across the country – keeping the Big Lie alive.
Georgia should stand for truth. Enough is enough. Several prominent Republicans in this state suffered their own threats of violence throughout the election process, yet they continue to ignore warnings that perpetuating these lies through anti-voter policies will only lead to more political violence. The very actions of the majority to push through these anti-voter bills only undermine our elections and threaten our democracy. We cannot allow extremists of any kind to dictate Georgia’s conduct or policy.
We will continue to fight against these bills because a commitment to our state, to democracy and to civility calls us to play an active role in shaping public discourse, dispelling disinformation and holding bad actors accountable. Join us by telling your state representatives and senators to vote no on HB 531 and SB 241.
Photo by Bloomberg/Getty Images
