Georgia Election Officials Pushed to Follow Federal Law
Voter Protections Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 1
August 20, 2008
Advancement Project, along with a coalition of 15 nonpartisan groups, put Georgia’s director of elections on notice in late July that county election offices were violating federal law and a 2006 federal consent decree by wrongfully telling third-party groups and private individuals that they could not register voters without getting permission from the counties and that they must have a deputy registrar present.
Advancement Project learned that election offices in Ware, Cherokee, Dekalb, Richmond, Gwinnett and Lincoln counties had been disseminating inaccurate information, including that deputy registrars are the only persons authorized to conduct voter registration drives and that only deputy registrars can be in possession of another person’s completed voter registration form.
Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, private individuals and groups are legally allowed to conduct voter registration drives at times and locations of their own choosing. Furthermore, election officials must process all completed voter registration applications, irrespective of how or by whom they are delivered.
We requested that the director of elections issue a written directive to all 159 counties reminding them of their legal obligations under federal law, which include not interfering with private entities conducting voter registration drives at times and locations of their own choosing.
Advancement Project also requested copies of all communications, correspondence, documents and email confirmations exchanged by the Office of the Secretary of State and local election officials about rules, regulations and policies regarding voter registration and voter registration drives.
Articles about Advancement Project’s work and concerns appeared in the Augusta Chronicle and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, among other publications.
To read the letter to the director of elections, click here.
