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Common Cause Georgia opposes the bill because it “burdens access to the ballot for valid Georgia voters, disproportionately voters of color and low income voters, and it strips local election authorities of tools they need to effectively administer elections,” according to Common Cause Georgia Executive Director Aunna Dennis.

'They want to make it harder for people to vote. They want to make it easier for special interests to buy our government. And they want to put our constitutional rights at risk. This is a case study in how to take government away from the people.'

The Georgia Legislature’s practice of leaving the public out of “the people’s business” reached a new low today. At 3pm, the House Special Committee on Election Integrity started a hearing on HB 531, a 48-page “omnibus” bill on elections filed by Republican lawmakers – which was filed only two hours ago.

Today, two special subcommittees of the Georgia Senate Committee on Ethics acted on legislation that would add new barriers to voting. The subcommittee meetings were held with little public notice, at 7:00 in the morning, and without video streaming.

Common Cause Georgia calls on Secretary Raffensperger and Attorney General Carr to immediately refer the investigation to the federal Department of Justice, and then to cooperate with that investigation.

Dr. King would remind us that “disfranchisement is the main instrument for perpetuating racial injustice.” The lines at Georgia’s polling places, back in June, showed the entire country that racial disparities in voting access are still real. Access was improved in the November and January elections, but some voters still faced barriers.