The Local Take Talks Georgia Voter Suppression With Georgia ACLU Director Andrea Young
By Kiplyn Primus | WCLK | June 19, 2021
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The Georgia ACLU office is opposed to the new voter suppression law in our state. They are active in seven lawsuits against the new law.
This week on WCLK's The Local Take(Saturdays 8am), I reached out to Andrea Young, Executive Director of the Georgia ACLU office, to discuss the voter suppression law recently passed in Georgia.
Over 48 states are considering voter suppression laws similar to the one passed in our state.
Lawmakers continue to use the delusion that our elections are fraudulent because their candidate lost in 2020 to enforce these laws. Some are saying our democracy is in crisis. Other people claim that the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice eventually.
I ask Young where the Georgia ACLU stands on the new law and if an injunction will be requested before the next election cycle. She shares that the ACLU is opposed to the new law. An injunction is one goal, but she hopes that the US Congress will pass a federal voting rights law. She believes that the courts or Washington will move to protect voting rights.
I ask about the lawsuits which involve a diverse group of organizations from the AME Church to the NAACP and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. After the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act can citizens depend on them to do the right thing now?
Young shares that citizens have more power than we think. She speaks about local municipal elections that are happening. These elections may determine who sits on your County’s Board of Elections. Citizens can write letters to their representatives at every level demanding protection for the right to vote. We all need to understand that voting matters. Check your family members voting records and registrations. Monitor volunteer opportunities for poll workers in your neighborhood. Attend town hall meetings where discussions about poll locations will be decided. She reminds us that democracy requires action. She encourages all citizens to partner with others. We can join phone banks and assist people with obtaining free voter ID, show up where needed, and share information and resources with our community.
The ACLU will host training for poll workers. They are also working with over 80 counties to protect the right to vote. I ask her if the disparate group of voters who showed up in force for the 2020 election will “hold” for future elections. She says that she believes they will. She expounds that this is an issue-based group. They believe in public safety, quality education, access to healthcare, dignity, and opportunity for all citizens. She says that the multi-cultural coalition is part of “the Atlanta Way.”
For More Information on the Georgia ACLU
For More Information on Andrea Young
For More Information on the 7 lawsuits filed against the Georgia Voter Suppression Law