ACLU of Georgia Threatens Suit Over Purge Notices Sent to Voters in Gwinnett and Cobb Counties

The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, and the Georgia State Conference for the NAACP threatened lawsuits against Cobb and Gwinnett counties after more voters reported receiving unlawful “purge notices” suggesting that they would be removed from the rolls if they did not take steps to maintain their registration. Evidence suggests that these “purge notices” were distributed even more widely than initially reported.

Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), it is unlawful to issue these kinds of purge notices or require any affirmative action of registered voters who move within the same county. One of the reasons Congress passed the NVRA was to prevent states from removing people from voter registration lists based on technicalities.

“This is what voter suppression looks like in the 21st century: confusing notices, needless restrictions and a minefield of bureaucratic requirements that make it harder to vote,” said Sean J. Young, ACLU of Georgia legal director. “With important municipal elections right around the corner, Georgia officials need to stop playing politics with people’s voting rights.”