NAACP, Black Voters Matter register voting complaints in Dougherty, Lowndes counties

ALBANY — With only a handful of days left before early voting for the Nov. 3 general election ends, the Georgia NAACP and Black Voters Matter Fund have called for elections officials in Dougherty and Lowndes County to make changes to ensure voters do not have to stand in long lines while waiting to cast ballots.

In a news release, the groups said Lowndes and Dougherty counties’ elections officials must do better to ensure all eligible voters, including black voters, have equitable and fair access to voting. In an unprecedented election season, and after receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants from Center for Tech and Civic Life, there is simply no excuse for Lowndes and Dougherty county officials to not provide enough safe and accessible early voting opportunities for their eligible voting population.

“Under no circumstances should voters be waiting so long in lines that they are fainting and/or leaving,” Georgia NAACP President the Rev. James Woodall said in a news release. “There are police at polls right now arresting people that are trying to make sure voters aren’t deprived of nourishment. Election officials and law enforcement must do better.”

The release said voters have already borne witness to deep racial disparities with daily long lines. Due to county negligence of opening only one early voting location, a voter in Dougherty County passed out while waiting in an hourslong line to exercise their right to vote, causing other voters around them to also leave the line. Lowndes County has only one early voting location, which is plainly unacceptable. It is essential that these counties make use of the additional funding they have received and ensure that the last days of early in-person voting are more equitable and accessible.

“These are the exact voter suppression tactics that the Georgia NAACP anticipated — which is why we are fighting every day to make sure voters have the most fair and equal opportunity to vote at the polls,” Woodall said.

In order to guarantee that voters are able to vote without undue burden, the groups demanded that Dougherty and Lowndes counties immediately implement the following solutions:

— Increase the number of e-poll books. Specifically: (1) ensure 1 poll pad for every 600 registered voters, (2) have backup paper pollbooks, and (3) have technicians from Dominion at every polling location in the county;

— Increase the number of emergency paper ballots and commit to using them when lines exceed 30 minutes. This also includes ensuring that poll workers are trained in when and how to use these emergency paper ballots;

— Post staff at consolidated precincts directing voters to the right place (or at least have clear signage), and (2) have staff walk the lines to ensure voters are in the right place and correct line;

— Prepare a trained backup staff of poll workers ready to deploy to any precinct with a shortage.

“We have already seen the result of inadequate preparation for an election year that continues to break turnout records,” Black Voters Matter Fund national legal director April England-Albright said. “Lowndes and Dougherty counties’ Boards of Elections must act immediately to ensure these wrongs are corrected and alleviated by Election Day. There is no excuse. Every voter must have access to a fair, equitable, and safe voting experience.”

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