Georgia is Being Sued by the US Department of Justice over a New Voting Legislation

Georgia is Being Sued by the US Department of Justice over a New Voting Legislation

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a new lawsuit against Georgia on Friday, saying that the state's new voting legislation violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Georgia's new voting legislation, which went into effect in March 2021, limits voting in several ways.

The bill makes it more difficult for people to get an absentee ballot, gives the legislature more authority over the election commission, and decreases absentee ballot drop boxes. It is worth noting that the measure makes it illegal to give food or drink to those who are standing in line to vote.

Voting methods or processes that discriminate based on race, colour, or membership in a linguistic minority group are prohibited under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Department of Justice claims that Georgia's new limitations are discriminatory since they were enacted in response to an increase in the use of absentee votes by Black Georgians. To seek an absentee ballot, Georgians must additionally present identity, which Black Georgians disproportionately lack.

This measure was approved by Georgia's Republican governor and legislature following Democratic Senators' and President Biden's shock victories. According to the DOJ lawsuit, Georgia's Black electorate largely supported these politicians.

The Department of Justice can seek remedies under the Voting Rights Act to limit the law's implementation. Moreover, if the law is found to be unconstitutional, the DOJ can seek a declaration that it is unconstitutional, an injunction prohibiting enforcement of the law, the appointment of federal observers in Georgia to ensure ballot access, and the preclearance requirement of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to apply to future Georgia voting changes.