A massive early turnout among all demographics in Georgia does not appear to be swaying former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile away from her opposition to Georgia’s voting law.
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, former Mike Pence chief of staff Marc Short noted there are “record numbers of people voting early in Georgia.”
He continued, “Record numbers of African Americans voting early. Yet the Democrats are saying it’s Jim Crow 2.0?”
Brazile replied, “It is. It is. Unfortunately it is Jim Crow.”
When asked how that is, Brazile explained, “SB 202, as you well know, allows anyone to challenge the validity of a voter. There are many African Americans and others, young people especially, who are going out to vote and they are being challenged.”
Later during the segment, Short reiterated that a record number of African Americans are voting early.
“I think the election this cycle is going to be a referendum on Joe Biden and it’s why Republicans are going to win,” Short said.
Watch the video below:
“It is. It is. Unfortunately it is Jim Crow.” On ABC’s #ThisWeek, @DonnaBrazile doubles down on left wing canard to explain losses. pic.twitter.com/99BsyNc2oU
— Brent Baker ?? (@BrentHBaker) October 23, 2022
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger issued a statement on the state’s voters posting “strong” numbers.
“Georgia voters continued to hit record breaking turnout on day five of Early Voting. As of Saturday morning, approximately 660K Georgia voters have cast their ballot during in-person Early Voting, with 140,166 showing up on Friday, October 21th,” the statement explains.
It continues, “Friday’s total marks a 51% increase from day five of 2018 midterm Early Voting and is only 18% less than the total of day five of Early Voting in the 2020 Presidential election.”
Raffesnperger explained, “We owe our county election directors a great deal of gratitude.”
He continued, “Lines are short. The check-in process is going smoothly. There’s been very few instances where our office has had to step in and provide extra support. The counties are doing a fantastic job.”
However, over the weekend, The Guardian published a report claiming early voters were facing obstacles under the state’s election law.
“Right-wing groups, spurred by baseless claims that the 2020 election was rife with voter fraud, have mounted thousands of organized challenges across the state, putting even more pressure on the election process for voters, poll workers and election officials,” the report explains.
It continues, “While most have been dismissed already, more challenges cropped up ahead of early voting.”
Jennifer Jones, a Morehouse School of Medicine PhD student, shared her experience about her validity as a voter being challenged.
She told The Guardian, “When I handed in my ID, the poll worker said I was being challenged.”
Jones added, “They said I had to complete a provisional ballot, but I wasn’t really comfortable doing that, so I didn’t get to cast my ballot that day.”
In March 2021, President Joe Biden expressed his frustration with the bill.
“This is Jim Crow in the 21st Century. It must end,” Biden said in a statement at the time.
He continued, “Instead of celebrating the rights of all Georgians to vote or winning campaigns on the merits of their ideas, Republicans in the state instead rushed through an un-American law to deny people the right to vote. This law, like so many others being pursued by Republicans in statehouses across the country is a blatant attack on the Constitution and good conscience.”
