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Wondering what exactly this voter suppression law involves? It’s a doozy. As covered by my colleague Joan McCarter, the law attacks voting rights on a number of levels. The law limits ballot drop-off locations, makes it significantly harder for registered absentee voters to actually vote, and reduces the time allowed for runoff elections. The legislation also gives the State Election Board power to replace the county election board with its own people. Stacey Abrams, for example, referred to the efforts as “Jim Crow 2.0”
Of course, as my colleague Jen Hayden covered, the optics of this bill are even worse than you might initially think. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed the legislation into law while surrounded by white men and in front of a painting of a Georgia plantation. Meanwhile, Rep. Park Cannon, a Black legislator, was handcuffed and arrested for trying to gain access to the office and witness the signing.
In the memo, Bastian writes: “It’s evident that the bill includes provisions that will make it harder for many underrepresented voters, particularly Black voters, to exercise their constitutional right to elect their representatives.” He commits to “do everything in our power to hear and protect your voice and your rights, both in Georgia and nationwide.”
As people on Twitter are celebrating this change of tune, they’re also pointing out that the journey is just beginning. Action, after all, speaks louder than words.
In addition to Delta, boycotts could hit Coca-Cola and sectors of the film and music industry, all of which are big revenue makers and job providers in Georgia. Tourism and sports, including the World Cup, could also be impacted by boycotts. The law is already facing three separate lawsuits since Kemp signed the legislation last Thursday.
For reference, the CEO of Coca-Cola, James Quincey, described the legislation as “wrong,” called for it to be “remedied,” and said it’s “unacceptable” and a “step backward.” You can check out his statement in the video below, which is gaining traction on Twitter.
Sign and send the petition: SB202 threatens Georgia’s economy, with its all-out assault on our democratic process. We are outraged that you allowed this to happen.
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