ATLANTA—All Voting is Local Action and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta issued the following statements in response to a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee and Georgia Republican Party seeking to limit ballot drop box access for Georgia voters.
Aklima Khondoker, Georgia state director, All Voting is Local Action:
“Scaling back the availability of ballot drop boxes, and by extension, voter accessibility amid a pandemic is unconscionable. Record numbers of Georgians opted to vote by mail in the June and November elections and sought a safe, secure, and dependable option to return their ballots. For many, ballot drop boxes filled that critical void and empowered Georgians to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
“Reducing ballot drop box availability from 24 hours to ‘normal working hours’ is an affront to every Georgian who has to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. It punishes Georgians who work inflexible shifts and harms those who do not have the comfort or convenience to change their schedule unilaterally. Voting is a right for all of us, not just the privileged few.”
Stephanie Cho, Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta:
“For the 44% of Asian American and Pacific Islander Georgians who are considered limited English proficient (LEP), language barriers already consistently eliminate their ability to fully participate in the voting process. The attempt to limit dropbox accessibility during our runoff elections is an attempt to create another barrier to voting for Georgia’s LEP and immigrant voters.”
Background:
All Voting is Local/All Voting is Local Action and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta have repeatedly called on Georgia’s elected officials to ensure voters have equitable access to ballot drop boxes. The Election Assistance Commission recommends a ratio of one ballot drop box per 15 to 20 thousand voters, yet few counties in Georgia have met that threshold.