ATLANTA — On the same day Georgia lawmakers are pushing for several bills to make it through the last day of the legislative session, there is still a lot of attention on the controversial election law signed last week by Gov. Brian Kemp.
Several groups rallied Wednesday - for and against - Senate Bill 202.
Faith leaders gathered at Trinity United Methodist Church to protest the measure. In a news release about the event, organizers called the law "voter suppression."
During the news conference, they placed cases of water in front of them - a move that points to the portion of the bill that doesn't allow volunteers to give food or drinks to voters standing in line at the polls.
- Requires an ID number, like a driver’s license, to apply for an absentee ballot
- Cuts off absentee ballot applications 11 days before an election
- Limits the number of absentee ballot drop boxes
- Allows the state to take control of what it calls “underperforming” local election systems
- Disallows volunteers from giving away food and drink to voters waiting in lines
Several Georgia companies have come out with statements criticizing the Republican-backed bill.
While opponents disapprove of the new measure, supporters claim it will help give equal access to everyone to vote.
At a rally, chairman for the Georgia Republican Party David Shafer announced they are filing a motion to intervene as a co-defendant in lawsuits filed in opposition of the voting law.
"Our principles are clear: We want to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat," Shafer said. "We want every lawful vote counted, every unlawful vote rejected and the counting to be done in the open and in accordance with law."