Immigrant voters who helped transform traditional red counties into metro blue, say the state recent revision of the electoral law will hurt color voters.
On Thursday, Governor Brian Kemp signed the Republican-backed bill. The nearly 100-page bill includes restrictions on where Dropboxes can be placed and requires identification to be able to vote by post.
Cobb County’s Anu Banerjee says the bill will harm seniors and low-income immigrants.
“We struggle with technology,” said Banerjee. “We’re having trouble not having a printer, so we’re trying to make a photocopy and deliver it. It’s really just unfortunate. “
Banerjee is part of They See Blue, a national organization that mobilizes South Asian democratic voters. Cobb, a longstanding republican county, democratically elected in 2016 and 2020. The county also voted Democratic in the US Senate runoff elections.
Vyanti Joseph, also a Cobb voter, co-founded the Georgia chapter of They See Blue. Despite being disappointed with Georgia’s new electoral law, she hopes it will motivate even more people to cast ballots.
“We need to improve education,” said Joseph. “We just have to go forward.”
Almost two dozen immigrant rights groups also condemned the new legislation.
A statement from the Georgia Immigrant Rights Alliance said: “Georgia saw an unprecedented turnout during the 2020 election cycle as Georgians were given the opportunity to safely and securely cast their ballots during a global pandemic. Instead of expanding Georgians’ access to the ballot, SB 202 will restrict the right of Georgian immigrant communities to be heard. ”
President Joe Biden called the law “un-American”.
The record turnout in the general election helped Biden win Georgia with around 12,000 votes. The state also elected two Democrats in the US Senate runoff election.
Kemp said the bill would ensure that state elections are safe and fair.
“We counted our results three times in the last year,” said Banerjee of the presidential election in November.
Joseph says that despite the bill, she is ready to vote.
“We waited in line for five to eight hours last year. We’ll be in line for 10 to 15 hours next year if we have to, ”she said.
The new law also prohibits the distribution of food and water to upcoming voters.