Latest news with #ACLUofGeorgia
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latest Georgia election roll purge targets nearly 478K inactive voters
The Brief Georgia election officials are removing nearly 478,000 names from voter rolls, targeting inactive voters who haven't responded to previous notices, in compliance with federal and state laws. Voting rights advocates, like the ACLU of Georgia, express concerns that the purge could disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly those who are more mobile, such as renters and younger voters. Georgia has a history of significant voter-registration purges, with previous efforts drawing scrutiny and legal challenges, highlighting ongoing tensions between maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring voter access. ATLANTA - Georgia election officials have begun the process of removing nearly 478,000 names from the state's voter rolls, marking one of the largest registration cancellations in state history. What they're saying The Secretary of State's office confirmed Thursday that letters have been mailed to voters whose registrations have been deemed inactive. Recipients have 40 days from the date they receive the notice to confirm or update their registration or risk being removed from the rolls. "This is really good election administration," said Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer for the Secretary of State's office. "We're doing the stuff we can to remove people who we know are no longer there." Sterling emphasized that the initiative targets only voters who have been inactive for more than four years and failed to respond to previous notices. "You didn't contact your elections office, you have returned mail, we have evidence you moved out of state and we sent you a letter and you didn't respond," he said. He also noted that the effort complies with both federal and state law and has been in practice in Georgia and other states for decades. The other side However, voting-rights advocates are raising alarms about the potential consequences. Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia, said the mass removal could disenfranchise eligible voters—particularly those who move frequently or belong to more transient populations such as renters and younger voters. "They're more mobile. They're not necessarily tracking all this paperwork," Young said. "We consider it a purge." Young added that election reforms should focus on helping vulnerable Georgians access the ballot rather than risk removing them from the rolls. "If they're going to go through and look at how to make voting in Georgia better, it should be to make it easier for the most vulnerable members of our community," she said. Local perspective Georgia previously canceled over 500,000 registrations in 2017. Zachary Peskowitz, a political science professor at Emory University, said the current effort affects fewer voters by comparison. "We're talking about fewer than 10 percent," Peskowitz said. Sterling said Georgia currently has about 8.25 million registered voters. The cleanup could bring that number down to around 7.75 million. What you can do Voters can check their registration status at Timeline Georgia has conducted several significant voter‑registration purges in recent years, drawing scrutiny from election experts, courts, and rights advocates. Here's a look at the major efforts: In late 2023, the state removed nearly 190,000 active registrations and placed more than 305,000 others into inactive status over concerns that voters had moved or not voted in multiple elections. Under this "biennial maintenance," voters who do not respond to mailed notices within 40 days risk losing active status and could be removed by 2025. In December 2019, Georgia election officials purged nearly 309,000registrations, placing many on inactive status for not voting or contacting election authorities in the prior seven years. A federal judge later heard arguments from Fair Fight Action to halt the purge. In 2019, a federal judge allowed the December purge to proceed but required better notification, especially ahead of special elections. In 2021, nearly 5,000 voters were reinstated via court order. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger released a public list of nearly 102,000 voters in June 2021, to be removed during routine maintenance unless they responded to notices. The list included around 67,000 who filed postal-change-of-address forms and 34,000 with undeliverable election mail. Officials emphasized that those who respond within 40 days could have their registrations reactivated. Why you should care Over the past six years, Georgia's voter‑list maintenance efforts have escalated in scope and intensity, from routine purges to highly visible, court‑challenged removals. With nearly a half‑million registrations scheduled for July 2025, the tension between ensuring accurate voter rolls and preserving voter access continues to dominate the state's electoral landscape. The Source FOX 5's Christopher King spoke with Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer for the Secretary of State's office; Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia; and Zachary Peskowitz, a political science professor at Emory University, for this article. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Security beefing up in Atlanta over potential protests
ATLANTA (WJBF) – Security is being tightened up in Atlanta ahead of anticipated protests this weekend similar to the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. Georgia's Attorney Chris Carr said Americans have the right to protest peacefully, but those who destroy property, loot businesses or attack police officers will be prosecuted. Carr says protesters use words, while rioters use violence. If you engage in violence, Carr says you could face domestic terrorism charges which is up to 35 years behind bars. The ACLU of Georgia says this Saturday, up to 5,000 Georgians are expected to protest at liberty plaza outside the state capitol for No Kings Day — for what they say is an abuse of the Trump administration's power to first amendment rights. 'People who are out on the streets, who have signs, who have megaphones, are not rioters and are using their first amendment rights. We are seeing this happen to portray protesters as criminals is very problematic and we have concerns about that,' said Sarah Hunt-Blackwell, ACLU of Georgia. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he is monitoring the situation and working with law enforcement agencies like the GBI and FBI to ensure public safety is protected. 'The freedom to dissent without fear of government retribution is a vital part of any well-functioning democracy. Protesters in Georgia have every right to call attention to the injustices by the Trump administration including its trampling of immigrant rights, drastic cuts to Medicaid, attacks on transgender people, and general disregard of democratic norms' said Christopher Bruce, Policy & Advocacy Director of the ACLU of Georgia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to add Ten Commandments to schools in GA proposed in state house
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A new bill introduced in the state house this week could require all public schools in Georgia to display the Ten Commandments. Georgia isn't the first state to introduce legislation that would bring religious text into public schools, but House Bill 313 has struck up a lively debate about free speech and the separation of church and state. 'I think I understand the reasoning or the heart behind that. I think when we think about the Bible as just a book of rules, then we miss the entire point of it,' Michele Smith, a local parent, said. Many parents and lawmakers are split on adding the Ten Commandments to the list of state-approved documents and records considered appropriate for display in public schools. The list is comprised of documents that are considered reflective of U.S. history, like the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation Proclamation. 'As long as there's not an abide that you must read this and you must do this,' State Rep. Carl Gilliard, (GA-162), said. 'I also think it gives back the morality of what we need in our society now. If we don't have prayer and God in schools, then we don't have schools.' However, Gilliard also argued that lawmakers must not operate under a double standard. 'We also have to tell the whole story,' he said. 'There are other stories that we cannot eliminate those other books and those other opportunities for people to get history. They're going to open up those opportunities when they say, you all got this bill passed, and now I'm putting a bill together for the Quran.' While some lawmakers are in favor of the bill with stipulations, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union are against it entirely. 'Attempting to indoctrinate children by mandating the display of a preferred religious text is completely inappropriate in Georgia's public schools, where students of all faiths and backgrounds should feel equally welcomed in the classroom,' Legal Director of the ACLU of Georgia, Cory Isaacson, said. According to the text of the bill, schools wouldn't be allowed use public funds to pay for any costs associated with displaying the commandments. Instead, they would need to raise private funds or rely on donations. When asked whether adding the commandments in schools should be considered a priority, local parent Shawn Martin said, 'Not right now. There's so much other stuff that they need to be learning.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
