Georgia Sued by Civil Rights Groups Over Voting Restrictions

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Last updated on March 28th, 2021 at 06:12 am

The state of Georgia has made headlines in recent days after GOP lawmakers passed legislation that significantly curbs voting rights, including stricter identification requirements and a measure that makes it a misdemeanor to offer food and water to voters waiting in line.

“These provisions lack any justification for their burdensome and discriminatory effects on voting,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed by the New Georgia Project, Black Voters Matter Fund and Rise, Inc. “Instead, they represent a hodgepodge of unnecessary restrictions that target almost every aspect of the voting process but serve no legitimate purpose or compelling state interest other than to make absentee, early, and election-day voting more difficult — especially for minority voters.”

News of the lawsuit comes amid heavy criticism for the office of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp after Georgia State Representative Park Cannon (D) was arrested for attempting to knock on Kemp’s door as he was in the process of signing the GOP’s voting rights measure.

Video of Cannon’s arrest went viral last night.

Cannon has been released on bail. She’s been charged with obstruction of law enforcement and disrupting a session of the Georgia General Assembly.