CONGRESSMAN LEWIS, GA LEADERS STRESS IMPORTANCE OF VOTING, PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS
Georgia leaders gather with the New Georgia Project urging Secretary of State to ensure applicants make it on the voter rolls.
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Kristal Swim, kristal@allisonpr.com, 404.832.7163
ATLANTA, October 6, 2014 – On the final day of voter registration, Georgia leaders gathered to insist that the Secretary of State uphold his oath to Georgians. Congressman John Lewis joined with the New Georgia Project, Congressman Hank Johnson, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Congressman David Scott, the NAACP, and others to demand answers to the growing concerns surrounding voter applicants not appearing on the voter rolls.
“Today we continue protecting the right to vote,” said Congressman Lewis. “Obstruction and suppression will no longer work. My fellow Georgians have registered to vote, they want to share their voice, and we stand with them to make sure justice prevails.”
The New Georgia Project and a coalition of other organizations, faith and civil rights leaders including the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (formerly AALAC), and community partners expressed severe concerns over the large number of voter applicants that are not yet on the voter rolls. Specifically, the Secretary of State’s September 26th voter file still fails to include more than 42,000 applicants who submitted applications through voter registration drives conducted this year by the New Georgia Project. Working with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to assure that the civil rights of all Americans are protected, the New Georgia Project is demanding that Secretary Kemp explain why tens of thousands of eligible voters are not on the registration rolls and what his solution is to fix it. If he does not assure them that every eligible applicant will be able to exercise their right to vote and cast a meaningful ballot, the organization and the Lawyers’ Committee are prepared to take appropriate legal action.
“We are just one week away from early voting,” shared Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock. “However, there are still tens of thousands of Georgians that are not on the voter rolls and we aren’t getting answers. This is Secretary Kemp’s job and the progress is unacceptable. It is our moral imperative to make sure Georgians have the right to vote.”
As the Chief Election Official, Secretary of State Brian Kemp is responsible for coordinating the State’s responsibilities under state and federal law. While counties are responsible for entering information from the applications into the registration system, the Secretary of State has the ultimate responsibility to facilitate the operation of the system. Local election officials look to the Secretary of State for guidance and coordination on election related questions and issues.
The New Georgia Project expressed distress that numerous voter registration applicants who are eligible to vote and submitted timely and complete applications through their registration drives and from other sources will be disenfranchised and prevented from voting in the upcoming election. Many submitted applications are from prospective first-time voters.
“My situation is not unique and that is why it is so troubling,” noted Diamond Walton, a first year student at Columbus State University and voter registration applicant.
Walton, a native of Fayetteville, Georgia, hopes to be a first-time voter in this year’s election. She submitted a complete and accurate voter registration form in August to vote while she is away at college. Walton has still not received her voter registration card confirmation.
“We are looking at a situation that creates frustration and uncertainty about voter applications and ultimately voting,” voiced Rabbi Peter Berg. “The last thing we want is to tarnish a first-time voter’s experience and lose their interest for years to come. It is our moral imperative to battle voter suppression and we are talking about the future of Georgia.”
Concerned voters can contact Election Protection to ask questions, report voter registration problems, and discuss their right to vote at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). The New Georgia Project is working with Election Protection, a nonpartisan national coalition to help those who have registered to vote in Georgia, but have not yet received confirmation voter registration cards.
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About the New Georgia Project
The New Georgia Project launched a voter registration effort early this year to address the inequality we face in this state, that more than 800,000 eligible African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans are not registered to vote right here in Georgia. The New Georgia Project is working to change that inequality and is a non-partisan, non-profit organization solely focused on registering Georgians to vote. To learn more, please visit http://newgeorgiaproject.org.