LDF Sends Letter to Georgia Officials Opposing Recent Certification Rule Changes Enacted by the State Election Board

Source:

The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), along with Black Voters Matter Fund, Georgia Muslim Voter Project, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum ("NAPAWF"), Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials ("GALEO"), Barred Business, Rep Georgia Institute Inc. (Rep. GA), Georgia STAND-UP, Women Watch Afrika, Inc., Georgia Equality, Protect the Vote GA, and Migrant Equity Southeast sent a letter to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and State Election Board Chairman John Fervier concerning their opposition to recent certification rule changes enacted by the State Election Board.

The organizations urge the state officials to request an official opinion from the Georgia Attorney General concerning the illegality of the State Election Board's recent rule changes. The letter conveys three specific concerns: (1) the SEB exceeded its statutory authority by enacting Rule Amendments that are inconsistent with Georgia law; (2) the broad discretion and unfettered authority to seek documents that the Rule Amendments confer to local election superintendents can lead to delays or denials of election certification; and (3) these delays or denials can be employed in a racially discriminatory fashion, in particular in counties with significant Black populations.

Read the full letter here.

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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights law organization. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957-although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.