Common Cause Georgia
Recent News About Common Cause Georgia
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Mixed scores for Georgia on Common Cause's democracy report card
Common Cause, the nonpartisan watchdog organization, has released its 2024 "Democracy Scorecard," which evaluates every member of Congress on their support for voting rights, Supreme Court ethics, and other democratic reforms.
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Common Cause Georgia addresses election denial efforts
Our Senior Director of Voting & Elections, Jay Young, spoke to CNN about Common Cause Georgia’s efforts to push back against new election denial efforts in the state.
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Georgia Elections Board passes new rules affecting 2024 certification
Earlier this week, Georgia’s State Elections Board (SEB) held virtual meetings and passed new rules that could potentially delay the certification of election results in the 2024 election. The SEB has been proposing changes to Georgia’s election certification process, which has been trusted by voters for years.
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Common Cause Georgia releases report on corporate influence in Atlanta politics
ATLANTA – Common Cause Georgia released a financial report titled “The Atlanta Way: Examining Pay-to-Play,” detailing the amounts corporate donors spend to influence Atlanta politics. The report highlights the funds spent by wealthy special interests to promote unpopular legislative policies, such as Atlanta’s $110 million "Cop City" project for a police training facility.
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State Election Board holds secret meeting violating Georgia's open meetings law
ATLANTA—Last night, three members of the State Election Board (SEB) called a meeting at 4 p.m. ET today, excluding some members. The three members who planned the meeting did not post any notice in official forums or on the SEB website. Georgia Open Meetings law requires a minimum of seven days' notice for any public meeting in which rulemaking is discussed.
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Cherokee County commissioners face decision on ousting Democratic board member
ATLANTA — Tonight at 6 p.m. ET, the Cherokee County Commissioners will vote on whether to remove one of its two Democratic board members. In response, Common Cause Georgia and other pro-voter organizations have sent letters to the Board of Commissioners, urging them to maintain the bipartisan composition of the board.
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Proposed rule changes by Georgia State Election Board may delay 2024 election results
On May 8, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) voted to initiate new rule-making procedures that could potentially delay or interfere with the certification of the 2024 election. The SEB has been reviewing these proposals and decided to have members work on the rules and language for further consideration at the next meeting. For some proposals, the SEB voted to "Initiate Rule-Making" after making its own changes.
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New Georgia Law Criminalizes Bail Funds, Requires Cash Bonds
Last week, Georgia Governor Kemp signed Senate Bill (SB) 63 into law. This legislation criminalizes bail funds and necessitates cash bonds for over 30 offenses, including acts such as criminal trespassing. The new law significantly broadens the number of individuals required to post a cash bond for release from jail prior to appearing before a judge. It also slows down the process for release on misdemeanors and ordinances.
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New Anti-Voter Law Signed in Atlanta Raises Concerns
Governor Kemp of Atlanta recently signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 189, an omnibus elections bill combined with HB 976. The bill was expedited through the legislature at the last minute. This new law mandates that unhoused voters use the county registrars’ office as their mailing address, a requirement that may make it difficult for them to receive mail effectively.
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Governor Kemp signs SB 189; critics warn of voter barriers
Earlier this week, Governor Kemp signed Senate Bill (SB) 189 into law. This omnibus elections bill, combined with HB 976, was expedited through the legislature.