The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 18, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
After the Georgia legislature passed its omnibus voter suppression bill SB 202 in 2021, a firestorm of criticism erupted, including the moving of that year’s Major League Baseball All-Star game out of the state. April 15th, a trial began in federal court to throw out a small part of the law, one of eight active lawsuits.
The bill came on the heels of GOP losses for both U.S. Senate seats, and debunked accusations by former President Donald Trump of widespread voter fraud. Among the provisions of the SB 202 Georgia Election Integrity Act were a ban on providing food and drink to waiting voters, restrictions on democracy groups from distributing absentee ballot applications, limits on the number and location of drop boxes, more layers of ID requirements for mail-in ballots, allowing voter to more easily challenge the eligibility of other voters, and changing rules on mail ballot processing, among many other restrictions.
The trial which began April 15th challenges just the law’s restrictions on distribution of vote-by-mail applications. The law established hefty penalties for workers from community groups, churches and other pro-voter groups from reaching elderly, disabled, students, economically disadvantaged and others who may not vote otherwise. Those groups argue the law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Find more on the lawsuits at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Fair Fight – FIFTY REASONS WHY SB 202 IS A BAD BILL
ACLU – Here’s How Georgia’s New Voting Law Harms Voters With Disabilities
NAACP Legal Defense Fund – LDF’s Lawsuit Challenging Georgia’s Voter Suppression Law
League of Women Voters – GA State Conference of the NAACP v. Raffensperger (consolidated as In re: Georgia Senate Bill 202)
Campaign Legal Center – Challenge to Georgia Law That Would Make Voting Harder Heads to Trial
Democracy Docket – Georgia’s Infamous Voter Suppression Law Heads to Trial for the First Time
ACLU – Here’s How Georgia’s New Voting Law Harms Voters With Disabilities
NAACP Legal Defense Fund – LDF’s Lawsuit Challenging Georgia’s Voter Suppression Law
League of Women Voters – GA State Conference of the NAACP v. Raffensperger (consolidated as In re: Georgia Senate Bill 202)
Groups Taking Action:
Voter Participation Center, Center for Voter Information
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