Thread by @gwlauren

The democracy tragedy we are witnessing today across GA- long lines, malfunctioning machines, inadequate resources and training for elections officials, provisional ballot issues, inadequate back up paper ballots & more- were all predictable & preventable by one entity: (1/25)

the Georgia Secretary of State. The SOS chose to move unfunded mandates and massive quantities of mail through counties, rather than ensuring uniformity across the state through the proper resourcing of elections centrally via the state. (2/25)

In GA the SOS is required to ensure that the democracy you get doesn’t depend on where you live or what you look like; yet they didn’t take the actions needed to make democracy real for all. Again. After a similar meltdown in fall of 2018 due to incompetence & malfeasance. (3/25)

The SOS claims a bill he introduced in the legislature (SB 463) will “fix” these problems: this is false. After the SOS failed to provide counties with the training and resources needed to meet the standards he set, this bill will worsen the problem in the following ways: (4/25)

1) Every County Will Be On Its Own: SB 463 changes the law to say that the State Election Board led by the SOS-responsible for oversight- no longer has to do its job. The bill will instead make it each county's problem, without the necessary training, funding or support. (5/25)

Rather than taking steps to reduce lines, the bill will tell every Georgian that they only get the democracy their county can afford. For rural counties or our largest areas, this means we will see a WORSENING of the current problems in GA, where democracy looks different (6/25)

depending on which county you live in. The state should be supporting counties, not hanging them out to dry, so voters have equal access to the vote. (7/25)

2) Guess Where You Vote: SB 463 fails to properly notify voters of polling locations changes, which will lead to longer lines and more provisional ballots, if voters go to the wrong location. Due to COVID-19, locations may not be available. (8/25)

Voters should not be penalized, and if the law does not mandate notification, too many Georgia voters will be forced to risk missing the election altogether. (9/25)

3) Identity Theft In Exchange For The Right To Vote: SB 463 enacts a new ID provision, that could turn into a defacto ID requirement whereby senior citizens and others must mail copies of their ID to ensure their ballots are not rejected. (10/25)

This new provision may cause more absentee ballots to be rejected, which will lead to longer lines as voters who requested ballots have to vote in person. Further, it puts seniors and all voters at risk of identity theft if they send in a copy of their ID. (11/25)

The SOS was RIGHT when he tried to reduce the lines with absentee ballots. But this provision goes in the WRONG direction. (12/25)

4. Not Enough Equipment: SB 463 fails to mandate the appropriate number of machines at each polling location & fails to ensure enough check-in stations, all of which lead to longer lines, increasing the risk of illness or loss of the right to vote. (13/25)

5. Too Risky To Vote In Person: SB 463 fails to to expand access to vote by mail, which will lead to longer lines. Georgia is seeing an unprecedented number of voters use vote by mail. (14/25)

This keeps those who can vote from home safe AND it protects brave poll workers, the disabled, those with language barriers, the displaced & those who cannot mail ballots. The more folks who vote from home, the safer it is for those who need or want to vote in person. (15/25)

Instead of gimmicks, more passing the buck, more “solutions” that will ultimately hurt voters of color, seniors and students the most, Georgians demand SOLUTIONS and that the state start to do its part to ensure a functioning democracy. (16/25)

To fix the problems we see in the primary and to protect the right to vote for all Georgians, the SOS needs to fix SB 463. The bill has some good parts, but without these fixes, BAD WINS. The SOS should fix the bill: (17/25)

1. Remove language to exempt the State Board of Elections from responsibility – hold them accountable to serve all Georgians, regardless of where they live.
2. Mandate timely notification of polling location changes. (18/25)

3. Strike language that requires ID copies to be mailed in with absentee ballots.
4. Mandate, & support the implementation of, the proper amount of equipment & staffing in every polling location.
5. Create a central processing location for vote by mail requests & ballots. (19/25)

6. Ensure that ballots postmarked on or before Election Day are counted.
7. Mandate that every county has at least one vote center where all voters in the county can cast their vote. (20/25)

So, what can you do? Share your voting challenges by filling out this form bit.ly/GAVotePro AND then call your state legislators, Kemp and the SOS when they go into session next week: (21/25)

Demand the state be accountable and adopt the solutions above, instead of passing a bad bill that exempts the state from doing their part and will exacerbate the democracy inequities in our state. (22/25)

.@fairfightaction has the state in federal court on these issues and w/our allies will analyze the primary meltdown in the coming days. All options are on the table to push the state even harder to resolve these issues in time for fall elections where GA has high stakes (23/25)

and a major national spotlight will be shining on officials- the first competitive, active presidential campaign in decades, two US Senate races, competitive Congressional races and a state house majority in play. (24/25)

It's all hands on deck time- these issues are all preventable in the fall. To those who have been sitting on the sidelines of this fight, to those who think voting rights are “partisan”: it is now time to get off the bench and fight for the democracy of our state. ENOUGH. (25/25)