Brian Kemp Surrogate David Perdue Steals Phone of Georgia Tech Student Who Asked About Disenfranchisement of African-American Georgians

Kemp’s Suppressive “Exact Match” Policy Has Put 53,000 Voter Registrations on Hold; Nearly 70 Percent of These Voters are African-American

Brian Kemp Must Immediately Resign as Secretary of State

ATLANTA — Today, Brian Kemp surrogate and U.S. Senator David Perdue stole the cell phone of a Georgia Tech student seeking to ask about Kemp’s disenfranchisement of African-American Georgians. According to the Associated Press, Secretary of State Brian Kemp has 53,000 voter registrations on hold just weeks before the election, and nearly 70 percent of these voters are African-American.

“Brian Kemp surrogate David Perdue resorted to stealing a student’s cell phone because he cannot defend the fact that Brian Kemp refuses to resign and continues to engage in voter suppression tactics that disproportionately impact African-Americans in Georgia,” said Democratic Party of Georgia spokesman Seth Bringman. “While Brian Kemp cannot be trusted to run this election, and his surrogates cannot defend his actions, the sad truth for Kemp is that voters of color are fighting back and turning out in unprecedented numbers.”

Following the Associated Press report, former U.S. Senator and former Georgia Secretary of State Max Cleland reiterated his call for Kemp to resign. “When I decided to run for higher office, I stepped down from my position as Secretary of State because I recognized that it would not be fair to Georgia voters if I oversaw an election in which I was a candidate for higher office,” Cleland said. “It is time for Brian Kemp to do the same. From his purging of 1.4 million voters, to the closure of 214 polling locations on his watch, and now, the 53,000 mostly African-American voters whose registrations hang in limbo, Brian Kemp has shown that he is willing to subvert democracy in order to win an election. He must immediately resign his position and Governor Deal must designate a competent bureaucrat who will protect every eligible Georgian’s right to vote.”

The Democratic Party of Georgia launched a petition encouraging Kemp to resign.

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