“This law was specifically designed to minimize black political participation, engagement and representation throughout the state of Georgia,” Eaves said. “I would not defend a law that is inherently against my ancestors, myself and my family.”
Ten lawsuits are currently pending in federal court against the voting bill, Senate Bill 202, challenging a variety of provisions in the 98-page legislature.
The latest court challenge was filed Monday against rules and laws requiring a “pen and ink” signature on ballot-by-mail applications. In 2020, voters could request postal voting online.
DiscoverRepublicans clash in 2020 race for Georgia chief of elections
Dee Dawkins-Haigler, a former DeKalb County state representative, said the law tightens voting rules at the expense of voting access, creating new barriers for voters.
“The Secretary of State should make it easy and accessible for everyone to cast their vote. But what they did here in Georgia is ruthless,” said Dawkins-Haigler.
The secretary of state should work to make voting easier for all eligible voters, especially black voters who feel offended by Georgia’s electoral laws, said Michael Owens, former leader of the Cobb County Democratic Party.
“One of the things I can do as secretary of state is to make sure that we make sure, without a doubt, that every single voter has access to a ballot,” Owens said.
Floyd Griffin, a former Milledgeville mayor and state senator, said he would stand on principles of voter empowerment rather than imposing voting restrictions.
“I won’t do anything I don’t believe in,” Griffin said. “Republicans can see what happened to elect the president, the vice president and our two senators, and they want to reverse that.”
Three weeks of early voting began on the Monday before the May 24 primary. If neither candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast, the top two finishers will meet in a runoff on June 21.