Time: Georgia Polling Site Closures Reducing Access to Early Voting Among Working Class and Minority Voters, Civil Rights Groups Say

Sanya Mansoor

    Several counties in Georgia have closed a few in-person polling stations that were open during the general election, much to the disdain of civil rights advocacy groups. This is because the closed stations were ones nearby factories with minority groups. 

"The next closest voting location is more than seven miles away and there’s no easy way to access it via public transportation. Alarmed civil rights advocates expressed concern that four of the eight locations in Hall County that were open during the general election will not be open for the runoff election despite similarly large turnout figures across the state and the pandemic still raging. ...these closures would make it 'difficult, if not impossible, for many Latino and Black voters' to cast their ballot at advance voting locations...'"

    Not only will it make it harder for minorities to vote, but closing polling stations will also contribute to longer lines at the remaining areas, increasing health risk as well. All the accused counties maintain that stations were closed due to a lack of workers from the pandemic and holidays overlapping. This is especially important because the Georgia senate race will determine who controls the upper chamber and will likely be decided by a tiny margin.

"'The number of early voting locations was not reduced for the runoff; rather they were expanded for the presidential election given our expectation of turnout.'"

    Regardless, many minority group members work long hours and lack cars. Even if they do, the prospect of long lines and higher risk of infection may keep them away from the polls.