In Georgia and other states, iVote announced their $10 million campaign will target lawmakers who “led or supported the restriction of voting rights.”
As the fight over voting rights heats up in state capitals from Atlanta and across the nation, a liberal organization dedicated to voting rights and election administration is launching a $10 million campaign targeted at state legislative races.
In Georgia and other states, iVote announced their $10 million campaign will target lawmakers who “led or supported the restriction of voting rights.”
President of iVote Ellen Kurz said in a statement about the organization’s plans, which were first revealed to POLITICO, “Legislators in Georgia and across the country should know that if you use the power of your office to make it harder for people to vote, we’ll make sure you no longer hold office.”
The group’s plans follow the passage of a new law by Georgia Republicans, which among other things would eliminate signature verification in favor of an ID requirement for mail ballots and shorten the state’s runoff period, thereby reducing the amount of time available for early and mail voting for runoffs. Additionally, it outlaws “line warming,” which was the practice of third-party organizations to practice providing food and water to voters in line to facilitate “self-service.”
The bill also mandates two days of early voting on Saturdays and the option of two early voting days on Sundays, a practice that is already in effect in bigger counties but would be expanded to many of the state’s smaller counties. These requirements apply to all elections, not just runoffs.
The organization stated that it was still “assessing particular races” to spend on but that its plan will also include paid advertising and “extensive public opinion and opposition research.”
Republicans continue to hold sway over state affairs in Georgia despite Democrats’ recent electoral victories there, where President Joe Biden carried the state and Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock switched both Senate seats to give the party control of the upper house.
Republicans control a majority of 12 seats in the state Senate and about 25 seats in the state House. In 2022, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is up for reelection, and it’s believed that Democrat Stacey Abrams will run against him again.
This is iVote’s first attempt at parliamentary elections. The organization, which was established in 2014, formerly concentrated on the secretary of state elections and problems relating to voting rights.
The organization still plans to invest in the secretary of state campaigns. In 2022, more than a dozen states will conduct elections for secretary of state, including competitive states like Georgia, Michigan, and Arizona. Both Republicans and Democrats anticipate that secretary of state races will garner a lot of attention in the midterm elections, breaking with previous cycles.
iVote’s contribution also comes as down-ballot Democratic groups ask for more money. Democrats failed to flip a single legislative chamber in 2020, a major setback going into the redistricting cycle despite historic fundraising and high hopes going into November. In New Hampshire, where Republicans won over both houses of the state legislature, there were only two chamber flips.
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