A challenge to Georgia’s citizenship verification process has been dismissed by a federal judge, according to state officials.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross approved the motion to dismiss filed by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
According to Raffensperger, it is crucial to guarantee that only U.S. citizens participate in our elections in order to uphold the integrity and accuracy of the electoral process. He emphasized that Georgia’s citizenship verification process is both practical and effective. With the recent ruling, the state can continue its efforts to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens exercise their right to vote.
In another case filed by Fair Fight Action, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled in favor of Raffensperger in September 2022. Following this ruling, the recent decision by Judge Ross in the Northern District of Georgia ensures that Georgia’s citizenship verification processes will continue to be in effect for the 2024 election, as stated in a release from Raffensperger’s office.
Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, expressed her disappointment with the new voting rules, stating that it has the potential to disenfranchise citizen voters. She emphasized that these rules would force voters to navigate through multiple bureaucratic hurdles, making it more difficult for them to exercise their right to vote. Additionally, Dennis raised concerns that these regulations could have a chilling effect on new voters, discouraging them from participating in future elections, even if they are eligible.
“Unfortunately, it is the innocent voters of Georgia who will suffer the consequences of these anti-immigrant sentiments,” Dennis expressed with regret.
The lawsuit was filed by the group, including the New Georgia Project, GALEO Latino Community Development Fund, ProGeorgia State Table, Asian-Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda. They claimed that Georgia’s citizenship verification process violated the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, and the National Voter Registration Act.
State officials have confirmed that the previous Fair Fight Action lawsuit has resulted in a legal bill of approximately $6 million for taxpayers. However, the state attorney general’s office did not provide any information regarding the amount spent on defending the lawsuit when requested.