ATLANTA (February 2, 2021) | In response to several voting bills introduced by members of the Georgia Senate, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) Chairwoman State Senator Tonya P. Anderson issues the following statement:
“The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus strongly opposes the anti-voting legislative package introduced recently targeting absentee balloting, ballot drop boxes, voter registration, and poll watching. It is clearly an orchestrated attempt to undermine the political shift our state is undergoing.
In 2020, the Georgia electorate boldly declared an end to political orthodoxy embracing a new vision where freedom, justice, equity, and opportunity are commonplace. Through the efforts of county election officials, our state witnessed unprecedented voter turnout during the 2020 general election and 2021 runoff election. This occurred because leaders sought to expand voting options while maintaining a high level of safety and security.
The results were overwhelming, but for some, it was a call to engage in a new round of voter suppression and disenfranchisement. If successful, members of the Senate will prevent nonprofit organizations from mailing absentee ballot applications to voters, require an excuse for absentee balloting, end automatic voter registration when obtaining a state issued driver’s license or identification card, and end the use of ballot drop boxes, just to name a few.
Proponents of the legislation claim to want every vote accounted for, accurate, and legal, yet there has been no factual evidence presented that our election was compromised, or any coordinated illegal act occurred. What we do know is thousands of volunteers called, texted, emailed, canvassed, rallied, and marched to educate and empower Georgians to register and vote.
What we also know is the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus will vigorously fight to prevent passage of these anti-voting bills.”
Established in 1975, the GLBC is a 501(c)3 non-profit, nonpartisan organization comprising of 65 Georgia House and Senate members.
For more information about the GLBC, please visit www.gablackcaucus.org or write to media@gablackcaucus.org.
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For Immediate Release:
Feb. 2, 2021
Kami Briden, Sr. Communications Associate
404.656.0028