Despite three recounts and virtually no voter fraud Republican Governor Brian Kemp has just signed into law a massive, 95-page voter suppression bill. As Secretary of State Kemp manipulated the voter rolls ensuring his win in the gubernatorial race against Democrat Stacey Abrams.
The Atlanta Journal Constition reports Gov. Kemp “quickly signed a vast rewrite of Georgia’s election rules into law Thursday, imposing voter ID requirements, limiting drop boxes and allowing state takeovers of local elections after last year’s close presidential race.”
The Georgia House passed the sweeping legislation around 2 PM Thursday in a 100-75 vote. At 5:23 PM the Senate passed the bill. Barely one hour later Kemp signed it into law.
The voter suppression law “includes new restrictions on voting by mail and gives the legislature greater control over how elections are run,” the AP reports.
“We are witnessing right now a massive and unabashed assault on voting rights unlike anything we’ve seen since the Jim Crow era,” Democratic state Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler said, adding the new law is filled with “voter suppression tactics.”
The law targets minority communities the most, making it harder for people of color to vote.
“It’s like the Christmas tree of goodies for voter suppression,” Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan said Thursday, CNN had reported.
Voting rights expert Ari Berman says Kemp’s new law allows “GOP takeover of state/county election boards, unlimited challenges to voter eligibility, restricting drop boxes & making it crime to give voters food & water in line.”
“It will be challenged in court,” he promises.