Georgia Democratic Candidate: State Law About Scaring People Out of Voting
By KELSEY TAMBORRINO
Politico
10/14/2018 12:56 PM EDT
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams said Sunday the state's "exact match" voter ID law is part of a system designed to "scare people out of voting."
"This is simply a redux of a failed system that is designed to both scare people out of voting and make it harder for those who are willing to push through, make it harder for them to vote,” Abrams said on CNN's "State of the Union."
The state law requires voter registration forms and state ID forms to match exactly in order for a person to vote in the upcoming election.
The Georgia NAACP said last week it would sue Abrams‘ opponent, Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp, following an Associated Press report that said his office put on hold 53,000 registrants ahead of the election. The AP analysis found that close to 70 percent of the registrants on hold are African American.
On Sunday, Abrams accused Kemp of a pattern of trying to suppress certain votes.
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"Voting should not be a question of trust on the part of voters, whether they can trust the system," she said. "And, right now, he is eroding the public trust in the system because 53,000 people have been told, you may be able to vote, you may not, it's up to you to prove it."
She added: "The miasma of fear that is created through voter suppression is as much about terrifying people about trying to vote as it is about actually blocking their ability to do so."
Despite that, Abrams said during a separate Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" that she remained confident the November election would be fair.
"My organization, working with the Democratic Party, we've put together the largest voter protection effort in the state's history," she said. "And we have national organizations that are also paying attention. And I think we can make this work."
Kemp’s office previously pointed POLITICO to a July statement where he denied claims that his office has made it harder to vote.
“Despite any claim to the contrary, it has never been easier to register to vote in Georgia and actively engage in the electoral process,” Kemp said in that statement. “The numbers do not lie.”
Daniel Strauss contributed to this report.
Politico
10/14/2018 12:56 PM EDT
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams said Sunday the state's "exact match" voter ID law is part of a system designed to "scare people out of voting."
"This is simply a redux of a failed system that is designed to both scare people out of voting and make it harder for those who are willing to push through, make it harder for them to vote,” Abrams said on CNN's "State of the Union."
The state law requires voter registration forms and state ID forms to match exactly in order for a person to vote in the upcoming election.
The Georgia NAACP said last week it would sue Abrams‘ opponent, Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp, following an Associated Press report that said his office put on hold 53,000 registrants ahead of the election. The AP analysis found that close to 70 percent of the registrants on hold are African American.
On Sunday, Abrams accused Kemp of a pattern of trying to suppress certain votes.
By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.
"Voting should not be a question of trust on the part of voters, whether they can trust the system," she said. "And, right now, he is eroding the public trust in the system because 53,000 people have been told, you may be able to vote, you may not, it's up to you to prove it."
She added: "The miasma of fear that is created through voter suppression is as much about terrifying people about trying to vote as it is about actually blocking their ability to do so."
Despite that, Abrams said during a separate Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" that she remained confident the November election would be fair.
"My organization, working with the Democratic Party, we've put together the largest voter protection effort in the state's history," she said. "And we have national organizations that are also paying attention. And I think we can make this work."
Kemp’s office previously pointed POLITICO to a July statement where he denied claims that his office has made it harder to vote.
“Despite any claim to the contrary, it has never been easier to register to vote in Georgia and actively engage in the electoral process,” Kemp said in that statement. “The numbers do not lie.”
Daniel Strauss contributed to this report.
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