WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund issued the following statement regarding the unresolved ballot crisis in Georgia:
“This election presented Georgia voters with unnecessary and manufactured obstacles to the ballot, including voter purges, poll closures, long lines, and broken machines – all of which disproportionately harmed communities of color. The state also attempted to block 53,000 registration applications, most of which were from African Americans, a community too familiar with systemic barriers to voting.
“At every turn, the civil rights community has fought these attempts to silence voters – including successful litigation brought by the Lawyers’ Committee and advocacy efforts by NAACP LDF to monitor and keep voting precincts open to allow residents to vote. We urge officials to ensure every ballot is counted. Voters must know that our elections are free, fair, and equally accessible to all. This is not just about Georgia; if voters cannot trust that their voices will be heard, then the system has failed them.”
There is still time to ensure that all votes cast in Georgia are counted. Voters who cast a provisional ballot must cure their provisional ballot by producing the required information, identification, or proof of citizenship to their county registrar’s office by 5:00 p.m. EST, Friday, November 9 to ensure their vote is counted. Some offices will accept the necessary information by fax, by email, or in person. Voters with questions or who encounter any problems are asked to call the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE or visit https://866ourvote.org/information-for-Georgia-provisional-voters/.
