The U.S. Justice Department has announced that it is suing the state of Georgia over recently implemented voting measures.
Republican lawmakers in the Georgia Legislature imposed new voting restrictions earlier this year following former President Donald Trump’s election loss and false claims of widespread voter fraud as the reason for his defeat, according to NBC News.
Republicans said that the new measures are necessary to protect the integrity of elections and prevent voter fraud. Democrats counter that the laws are designed to suppress voter turnout, especially from voters who historically vote Democrat.
"Finally! After four long years, we have an attorney general (Merrick Garland) who will actively and aggressively protect our right to vote," U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote in a June 25 Facebook post. "Today’s announcement is a warning to any state attacking our democracy through voter suppression."
The Justice Department's lawsuit states that Georgia officials intentionally targeted black voters with new absentee ballot measures that restrict times and locations where they are more like to utilize mail-in voting. It also argues that the new measures are unnecessary since there has been no evidence of voter fraud.
The Justice Department is demanding that the court strike down parts of the law and require federal observers in Georgia for future elections.