In the wake of a tempestuous election cycle intensified by unsubstantiated voter fraud allegations, Republican lawmakers nationwide are now working state-by-state to establish new voting laws to restrict African American access to the polls. On March 25, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new voting bill, SB 202, which empowers state-level officials to control elections instead of local county election boards.
In turn, this law allows the Republican-controlled Georgia state legislature to gain authority over local election operations, replace election board members with partisan appointees and disqualify ballots in precincts statewide.
Since Georgia Republicans have long perpetuated baseless voter fraud accusations in majority-Black districts, many Georgians worry that this law could jeopardize Americans’ voting rights, particularly in regions like Fulton County that have a disproportionately Black citizenry.