In a predominantly black county in rural Georgia, plans to close around 75 percent of voting locations are in motion. This closures would happen ahead of the election in November, and could deprive black voters of the opportunity to elect the first black candidate for governor in Georgia, Stacey Abrams.
The elections board is debating a proposal to close seven out of nine polling places in Randolph County. Officials say that the seven precincts to be closed do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The quick timing of the closures is what brings the proposal into question, as civil rights groups say it will cause confusion and make it more difficult for voters without transportation to get to the polls. The ACLU sent a letter to county officials saying that the circumstances leave “a reasonable observer to wonder whether the real motive behind these closures is indeed to make it harder for African Americans to cast a ballot.”
