Georgia Governor's Race Update

The race for governor heats up in Georgia as Democrats and Republicans clash over the right of all Georgians to vote with three weeks to go before election day.

Brian Kemp, the Republican nominee, recently flagged 53,000 voter registration forms, 90 percent of whom belong to minorities, in his official capacity as Secretary of State. Kemp claims they violate the "exact-match" policy put forth by him and the Republican majority in the General Assembly.  For instance, if the name or address listed on the form doesn't coincide with identifying information on a driver's license or another official document, which can be something as simple as a missing hyphen or misspelling, it will be targeted or put on hold with the voter allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which may or may not be counted.   

Kemp's opponent, Democrat Stacy Abrams, the first African American woman to be nominated by a major party for governor, and civil rights groups have not only filed suit against Kemp but are demanding that he recuse himself or step down from his current position until the election is over. They claim "exact-match" not only amounts to a modern-day poll tax but unfairly targets the poor and the elderly, who may find it difficult to obtain documents verifying their status. Kemp's opponents also assert that his refusal to leave office while running for governor is like the fox guarding the henhouse or an umpire playing on the opposing team, which stacks the deck against the Democrats.   

The Secretary of State of Georgia's actions conjure memories of the 1964 Mississippi Democratic Freedom Party.  When African Americans in the Mississippi could not participate in the political process, they elected their own delegates to the Democratic National Convention but were denied seating.  If 53,000 or more minorities cannot vote on November 6 or are intimidated at polling places, the country will suffer a similar faith with the fraudulently elected taking office. 

 Kemp made a shocking statement recently when he referred to his opponents as outside agitators. This is reminiscent of the 1960s in the Deep South instead of a State moving forward, which could negatively impact Georgia's growing economy. That may be why so many in the State oppose his candidacy.