LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, co-founders of Black Voters Matter Fund, issued the following statement in response Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s announcement alleging more than 1,000 instances of “double-voting”:

“The announcement from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger shows just how desperate Republicans are to undermine the November election. Secretary Raffensperger’s accusations of so-called ‘double voting’ play on a dangerous narrative — and a popular Republican talking point — that stokes fear and confusion at the polls. With Election Day just weeks away and poll numbers coming into focus, this latest fiasco represents a last-stitch effort from Georgia election officials to suppress votes.

“But it’s also a distraction. Last week, the ACLU of Georgia reported that nearly 200,000 Georgia voters had been wrongfully purged from the voter rolls — the majority of whom are believed to be young, low-income, and Black. The state of Georgia has denied voting rights to hundreds of thousands of registered voters, but Secretary Raffensperger is lobbing accusations and even weighing criminal charges for double-voting. The message is clear: despite all his rhetoric, he is far more interested in promoting a fascist agenda than he is in protecting our elections. Secretary Raffensperger and state Republicans are working in lock-step to criminalize voters and suppress Black votes with a clear and dangerous directive all the way from the White House. 

“The nation already has its eyes on Georgia after an embarrassing June primary. In order to avoid another disaster in November, the Secretary of State must:

  • Immediately restore voting rights to the 200,000 voters wrongfully purged from the rolls;

  • Investigate the removal of registered voters from the rolls; and

  • Issue a comprehensive plan on how best to address Georgia’s voting rights crisis.

“In this critical election year, we do not need cover-ups or publicity stunts from our state officials. We need swift, meaningful action to restore voting rights and protect our ballots.”