GA Democrats Become Only State Party in Nation to Hire Full-time Voter Protection Director

Democrats tap Sara Tindall Ghazal to head elections integrity program

Release:  Monday, February 19, 2018    

Atlanta, GA – Today, Democratic Party of Georgia Executive Director Rebecca DeHart announced the hire of Sara Tindall Ghazal to serve as the Party’s Voter Protection Director. With the hire of Ghazal, the DPG becomes the only state party in the nation to currently have a year-round full-time Director dedicated to protecting the integrity of a state elections system.

“With so much at stake in November, Georgia Democrats are expanding a permanent infrastructure to protect the integrity of each and every vote,” said DeHart in a statement. “Our state in particular knows the pain inflicted when Republican officials restrict or outright deny access to the polls. With the record of sloppiness and incompetency from our own Secretary of State to recent revelation of the indictment of 13 Russian individuals by the U.S. Department of Justice for elections interference, it is our obligation to protect the very fiber of our democracy at all costs. The DPG is truly fortunate to have the caliber of elections knowledge found in Sara.”

Sara Tindall Ghazal joins the DPG with more than a decade of experience in democratization and conflict resolution. An accomplished attorney, Sara brings a wealth of knowledge in protecting and expanding civil liberties—including monitoring elections in Jamaica, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the Cherokee Nation.

“I look forward to working with state party officials and staff to defend the right to vote for every single Georgian—regardless of party affiliation,” said Ghazal. “With their support and that of our elected leaders, we will bring a new level of accountability in the elections process in every corner of this state, up and down the ballot.”

Elections in Georgia have come under an increasing scrutiny for mismanagement and voter suppression—damage inflicted disproportionately upon communities of color, students, and the elderly. Under the current Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, Georgians have had their personal information compromised, twice had their elections system breached, and saw the purge of tens of thousands of voters from the rolls.

More information on the state of elections in Georgia can be found here and here.

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