Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) said states are attempting to “suppress the vote” by pursuing basic election integrity measures, using the actions of Republican state legislatures as an opportunity to, once again, pitch the left’s “For the People Act,” which would nationalize U.S. elections.
“There are currently 250+ bills pending in 40+ states aiming to suppress the vote. Let me be clear—the very foundation of our democracy is under attack,” Warnock said Sunday.
“It’s time to pass the For the People Act & expand the sacred right to the ballot box,” he added:
Warnock’s message comes as Democrats urge the Senate to advance the “For the People Act,” which the Democrat-led House passed in March. GOP critics have consistently warned the measure will nationalize U.S. elections, stripping states of their power to implement basic election integrity measures — measures a majority of U.S. voters support — such as voter ID requirements and bans on ballot harvesting.
The measure would also require states to implement automatic voter registration and same-day voter registration and vastly compromise a state’s ability to clean its voter rolls, all while protecting illegal aliens who are registered to vote. Additionally, it would effectively force states to embrace nationwide vote by mail and bar ID requirements to obtain an absentee ballot. It would also permit officials to count ballots arriving up to ten days late as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
During his short time in office, Warnock, who faces another heated race next year, has prioritized “voting rights” over the filibuster rule, contending that the former is a “bigger” issue.
“Whether we get rid of the filibuster or not, we have to pass voting rights. We have to give the people their own voice in their own democracy,” he said during an appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show in March.
“It’s interesting, you know. Folks asked, you know, people like me, well, should you get rid of the filibuster or not? It seems to me that the onus really is on those in the chamber who have not yet decided to support voting rights because they could vote it up. They could vote for it,” he continued, concluding the “viability and the health and the credibility of our democracy” are at stake, particularly in states such as Georgia.
“That’s what’s under assault in Georgia and some 43 other states. … If we don’t protect our democracy in the United States Senate for — what is the body of the Senate for?” he added.
Heritage Action addressed the continual stream of critiques from leftists over Georgia’s election integrity law, which Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed into law last week, explaining that their narratives are “not supported by the facts.”
Georgia’s election reforms actually expand voting opportunities, extend early voting hours, and reduce wait times while promoting trust in the state’s election system,” Heritage Action executive director Jessica Anderson told Breitbart News, noting that a majority of Americans “support these commonsense measures to protect our elections and uphold a fair, transparent voting process.”
“Every voter has the right to trust that their vote will be counted — groups opposing these voter protections are actually sowing mistrust and suppressing Georgian votes,” Anderson continued.
“Georgia’s reforms increase voter confidence and should be the example for every state on how to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat,” she added. “Every state should follow their lead.”