The suit argues sections of the omnibus voting law violates both the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment by placing an undue burden on the right to vote, citing increased absentee ID requirements, restrictions on secure drop boxes and a ban on local governments mailing unsolicited absentee applications. "Instead, they represent a hodgepodge of unnecessary restrictions that target almost every aspect of the voting process but serve no legitimate purpose or compelling state interest other than to make absentee, early, and election-day voting more difficult - especially for minority voters." "These provisions lack any justification for their burdensome and discriminatory effects on voting," lawyer Marc Elias writes. This lawsuit's overarching message is that most of Georgia's voting changes were based on false claims of voter fraud. The New Georgia Project lawsuit, filed on behalf of the New Georgia Project, Black Voters Matter Fund, and Rise Inc., sues Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the four members of the State Election Board.Ĭhallenged provisions include new absentee ID requirements, limitations on drop boxes, a shortened runoff period and a virtual ban of out-of-precinct provisional ballots.
Boulee, and almost all of them argue that many of the sweeping changes made to Georgia's election administration disproportionately negatively affect nonwhite voters. Justice Department filed a 46-page complaint challenging parts of SB 202.Īll the cases are assigned to Trump-appointed Judge J.P. Raffensperger was entered May 17 with 157 pages of complaints. Not to be outdone, Coalition for Good Governance v. Raffensperger was filed, and April 27 saw Concerned Black Clergy v. On Thursday, April 1, the 29-page Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta v. Raffensperger and the 91-page AME Church v. Brian Kemp signed the bill Thursday (later amended to 66 pages), followed shortly thereafter by the 56-page Georgia NAACP v. Raffensperger was filed shortly after Gov.
There are now eight lawsuits that claim parts of Georgia's new law are discriminatory and unconstitutional. In a motion to dismiss in one of the cases, lawyers for the state argue that the complaints "challenge a handful of - at best - minimally burdensome changes." That motion was declared moot after attorneys filed an updated lawsuit. The state has also filed a motion to dismiss in AME Church v. "We have and will continue to protect access to and the integrity of voting in Georgia.” "Our office will properly evaluate this law and defend the state and its citizens," he said. Republican Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement that his office has observed a "significant amount of misinformation" about the new law and it is his duty to defend the laws of the state. Supporters of SB 202 in the legislature say it was necessary to make changes to help restore confidence in elections, after many Republicans stayed home for the runoff. Senate seats in January, Republican officials at every level of government have pushed false claims about the security and accuracy of Georgia's election system, including former President Trump's attempts to overturn his electoral defeat. SB 202, also known as the "Election Integrity Act of 2021," alters virtually every aspect of Georgia's election administration, from narrowing the absentee ballot request window to requiring ballots to be counted nonstop once the polls close and everything in between.Īfter Democrats flipped the state's electoral votes in November and both U.S.
The fight over Georgia's sweeping 98-page voting law has moved from the legislature to the courts, as civil rights groups, voting rights groups and even the federal government have filed lawsuits challenging various parts of the omnibus as unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act.