Mar 30, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Civil rights groups sue Georgia over law restricting voter access

Ivana Saric

Civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against Georgia's new election law, stating that the law restricts voting rights, "particularly voters of color, new citizens, and religious communities."

Why it matters: The legislation was signed into law by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) last Thursday, making Georgia the first battleground state to pass such a law following the 2020 election.

President Biden's win was the first time Georgia went blue in nearly 20 years. Two Democrats were also elected to the Senate in runoff elections.
Many more states are looking to follow Georgia's lead: By mid-February, 33 states were considering proposals to implement voting restrictions, Axios previously reported.
On Friday President Biden referred to the law as "Jim Crow in the 21st century."

Details: The lawsuit is being brought by a number of civil rights groups that include the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center and others per a press release.

What they're saying: “This law is driven by blatant racism, represents politics at its very worst, and is clearly illegal,” said Sophia Lakin, deputy director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, in the statement.

The big picture: This is the third federal lawsuit to be filed against Georgia's new election law, after a second was filed on Sunday, per CNN.

Go Deeper: What's in Georgia's new voter suppression law.

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Civil rights groups sue Georgia over law restricting voter access

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