Georgia Democrats On Statewide Issues, Voter Suppression On Primary Election Day

ATLANTA – Over the course of Georgia’s June 9th Primary, voters across the state faced a “complete meltdown”, including record-length lines, chaotic voting machine issues, and election problems across the state. Tuesday’s failure came after months of warnings that the Secretary of State’s insistence on rapidly transitioning to a brand new elections system risked these exact problems. 

Democratic Party of Georgia Chairwoman Nikema Williams released the following statement: 

“Yesterday, our team heard from Georgians in every corner of the state who showed up to vote but faced countless obstacles, from equipment failures to closed precincts to eight hour long lines, to voters left unsure whether or not their vote will count. From Columbus to Chatham to Rome to Atlanta, our system, led by the Secretary of State, failed our voters. The Secretary of State’s job as chief elections official is to help all Georgians vote freely, but instead he has displayed a deliberate indifference to Georgians’ constitutional rights. 

We should be applauding people for wanting to be a part of our democracy, but Georgia keeps making it harder for people to vote. I am incredibly proud and grateful that so many Georgia voters came out to the polls and stayed late to make their voices heard, but let’s be clear: voting in a functional democracy should not require herculean efforts that risk health and safety.  We owe it to Georgians to do much, much better. 

It’s time for real solutions. We need a clean elections bill to shorten lines and make voting more accessible, we need functional vote by mail and early voting options for all voters who need them, and we need to do the work to make sure every Georgian has fair and equitable access to the ballot. In other words, we need the Secretary of State to own up to his mistakes and do his job – our democracy depends on it.” 

The Democratic Party of Georgia has the largest voter protection program for a state party in the country. During this primary election period, thousands of voters in counties across the state have contacted the DPG with their concerns over casting their vote.

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