Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams outlines Election Day concerns
Since her contentious loss to Brian Kemp in the 2018 governor’s race, Stacey Abrams has focused on improving voting access, both in Georgia and across the country.
As Americans plan to head to the polls on Election Day, Abrams discussed her concerns, including what worries her in Middle Georgia, about voter suppression and election infrastructure with The Telegraph.
“I think every Georgian should be concerned about any Georgian not being allowed to vote or having difficulty in casting their ballot because there should not be uneven access to democracy in our state. It belies who we are and what we should be,” Abrams said. “But let’s be clear, Middle Georgia is facing challenges as well.”
Abrams founded Fair Fight Action “after witnessing the gross mismanagement of the 2018 election by the Secretary of State’s office,” she said, and then later Fair Fight 2020, to focus on voter protection. Fair Fight is currently engaged in a civil action lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
“My concern is whether you are at a precinct or a polling place in Fulton, or a precinct in Bibb County, that you should be able to vote with speed, with accuracy, and with efficiency,” Abrams said. “We need to hold the secretary of state accountable for making sure that no matter where you live in Georgia, your access to quality democracy doesn’t depend on your zip code.”
Voting access concerns
Abrams said her chief concerns regarding voting access in Middle Georgia include COVID-19 and voter turnout.
“We know that we’re seeing COVID-19 spikes in Middle Georgia,” Abrams said. “Macon reported a 25% increase in COVID cases. The worry is that people may decide heading into Election Day that they are not willing to risk contracting the disease, or that we will see such an onslaught with long lines and with a lack of efficiency in processing that people will decide to get out of line rather than wait hours.”
Abrams is also concerned about Bibb County voter turnout.
“I want folks to be aware that right now, Bibb is running six points behind the rest of the statewide turnout at 40%, versus statewide turnout, hovering at around 46%,” she said.
Early voting totals for Bibb County reached 30,879 votes on Thursday, with 17,557 absentee ballots accepted as well. More than 22,000 absentee ballots were requested in Macon.
Good laws on the books
For Abrams, the fight for voting access does not end after November’s election. While Fair Fight has fought for changes since the 2018 election, including filing a lawsuit against the secretary of state to ‘cure’ absentee ballots, Abrams emphasized the need for continued improvement.
Abrams criticized Raffensperger, saying he isn’t “doing his job, to train and to support counties and their obligations,” which is what Fair Fight’s ongoing lawsuit alleges.
On Oct. 28, Raffensperger said, “Georgia is a leader in election access. Notwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no-excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting.”
While Abrams acknowledges that Georgia has “good laws on the books” regarding voting access, the issues lie in the execution of said laws, she said.
Abrams also encouraged voters with questions on Election Day to call 866-OUR-VOTE.
Zoe Katz is an Election SOS fellow covering the 2020 election for the Macon Telegraph. She is a Georgia-based writer and recent graduate of Agnes Scott College.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 7:00 AM.