A rash of new electoral laws has caused an uproar among progressive activists and prompted some large corporations to take political stances. Some companies and executives have spoken out against the new bills, particularly in Georgia.
Amazon, General Motors and others have issued a joint statement against voting restrictions. Earlier this month, Major League Baseball was said to have rescheduled the All-Star game in protest of the Georgia bill, and Delta Airlines CEO said the electoral law was “unacceptable.”
“Well, the companies obviously have no idea what they’re talking about because [from] For many of their objections, it’s pretty clear that they haven’t actually read the bill, “said Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow of the Heritage Foundation.
“You don’t seem to understand that … the requirements of Georgian law are not very different from those of many other states around the country,” he said. “In some ways, their law is less strict than in places like New York and New Jersey.”
Georgia’s new law requires a postal voting ID card, limits the use of drop boxes, and restricts the distribution of food and water to voters waiting in line near elections. Proponents believe these measures will increase security and confidence in elections.
Opponents of such bills say they target low-income voters who are less flexible in voting during working hours and are less likely to have a driver’s license or other ID.
“Georgia has benefited financially, perhaps more than any other state, from the success of the civil rights movement,” said Ben Jealous, president of People For the American Way.
“And so it should come as no surprise to Governor Kemp that big corporations and corporations would be pulling out of their stake in his state if he were to toss his state back into Jim Crow,” Jealous said.
Check out the video above to find out how these voting laws sparked corporate backlash.
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