The ACLU of Georgia proudly champions, protects, and defends YOUR constitutional right to vote. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy upon which all of civil liberties rest.
Following the 2016 election, the fight for voting rights remains as critical as ever. Politicians across the nation continue to engage in voter suppression, efforts to stop citizens from exercising their constitutional right to vote. Through litigation and advocacy, the ACLU of Georgia is fighting back against attempts to curtail as well as fighting to expand access to this fundamental right in our democracy.
GEORGIA'S ANTI-VOTER LAW (SB 202)
Georgia’s anti-voter bill attacks absentee voting, criminalizes Georgians who give a drink of water to their neighbors, allows the State to takeover county elections, and retaliates against the elected Secretary of State by replacing him with a State Board of Elections Chair chosen by the legislature—rather than the voters.
How does this effect Georgia voters?
- The State forces citizens who need to vote by mail to risk identity theft.
- The State cuts off citizens’ ability to apply for an absentee, mail-in ballot 11-days before the final election day.
- The State restricts drop box locations and hours to inside early voting locations during office hours only. Last election, drop boxes were located outside of buildings and accessible 24/7.
- The State can take-over local election boards and hire and fire local employees when an election result displeases a politician.
- The State can put in jail citizens who offer food or water to voters standing in line for hours in the heat.
- The State bans local counties, cities, and towns from receiving private funding which has paid for things such as generators during a terrible storm on Election Day.
Our Lawsuit
Civil rights groups filed a new federal lawsuit against Georgia’s sweeping law that makes it much harder for all Georgians to vote, particularly voters of color, new citizens, religious communities, and people with disabilities.
The lawsuit challenges multiple provisions in SB 202, including the following:
- ban on mobile voting
- new narrow identification requirements for requesting and casting an absentee ballot
- delayed and compressed time period for requesting absentee ballots
- restrictions on secure drop boxes
- out-of-precinct provisional ballot disqualification
- drastic reduction in early voting in runoff elections
- perhaps most cruelly, ban on “line warming,” where volunteers provide water and snacks to Georgians, disproportionately those of color, who wait in needlessly long lines to cast their vote.
PROTECTING VOTER RIGHTS IN GEORGIA
LOCAL ELECTION ADVOCATES AND DEFENDERS (LEAD) PROGRAM
Local election offices in Georgia make the crucial decisions that let us freely exercise our constitutional right to vote. We must work at the local level to hold election officials accountable to Georgia voters.
The Local Election Advocates and Defenders (LEAD) program helps build more transparent, effective, accessible, and responsive elections offices. If you are interested in becoming a LEADer please review the detailed job description and sign up to be a volunteer.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A LEADER
POLL WORKER PROGRAM
Poll workers are essential to securing free and fair elections. Our state needs more Georgians to serve as poll workers committed to understanding election law, and skilled with technology.
To serve as a poll worker in Georgia, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 16 years old, and be able to read, write, and speak English. You can serve as a poll worker only in your county of residence or a different county if you are employed by that county.
