ATLANTA – All Voting is Local Georgia state director Aklima Khondoker issued the following statement urging the legislature to reject Senate Bill 202 and House Bill 531:
“Some legislators are determined to engage in undemocratic games with our freedom to vote, creating a veritable voting monopoly where they win, and everyone else loses. This week, they passed legislation that will take election oversight and authority out of the hands of localities and position it into the fists of legislators. By taking power away from counties, legislators will now decide how elections run and who can make critical changes to our voting system.
“Democracy is not a monopoly.”
Background:
SB202 and HB531 advanced in their respective legislative chambers last week, moving them closer to law and allowing legislators to consolidate electoral authority.
Among the dubious provisions, they would:
- Transfer local control from counties to legislators
- Replace the Secretary of State as Chairman of the State Election Board with a member selected by legislators
- Take away local power to appoint and suspend county superintendents
- Ban or restrict drop boxes