The Independent: Coca-Cola condemned Georgia’s voting law, but why did companies act after the bill was passed?

A growing number of major corporations are speaking out against a new Georgia law that imposes sweeping new restrictions on voting, setting up a political battle between big business and the Republican Party that may have electoral consequences across the country.

The bill, which was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, makes it a criminal offence to provide food or water to voters waiting in line, reduces the number of ballot drop off boxes, introduces new identification requirements and gives the lawmakers more power over how elections are handled.

The new law was fuelled by a widespread campaign of falsehoods promoted by Donald Trump and his Republican supporters in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

It has provoked an unprecedented corporate backlash, with rebukes from the CEOs of Georgia-based companies such as Coca-Cola, Delta and UPS. They are among more than a dozen companies to have spoken out. …

“I think it’s somewhat irresponsible of them to come out after a law has passed,” said Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, a voting rights group.

“There’s still opportunity for some things to change. We are obviously going to court. We filed a case with our coalition partners and other legal teams to really combat this. So we still need that added pressure from corporations in Georgia to take this stand against these suppressive tactics.”

The new legislation is likely to disproportionately impact people of colour, who have historically been the target of voter suppression efforts in Georgia. Following a year in which many companies took a forceful stand on issues of racial injustice, many activists called on corporations to back their words with action. …

As the fight to repeal the law and in the legislature begins, voting rights advocates are urging the same companies to do more. Ms Dennis, of Common Cause Georgia, called on corporations to implement a two-hour voting leave with pay to make it easier for their employees to vote.

“That’s something that was necessary … even before these changes happened. It should be a right, and it should be a given that folks should have dedicated time for them to go vote. This law takes away some of the flexibility that voters had to be able to go to early voting,” she said.

“If they want to continue to be responsible and accountable to their employees, to their customers, I think they should do voting leave with pay.”