ACLU of Georgia Supports Reopening Jeff Davis County’s Predominantly Black Precinct

ATLANTA – Yesterday, the ACLU of Georgia, along with community members and other nonprofit organizations, attended a Jeff Davis County Board of Elections meeting to support a vote to reopen the Hazlehurst location, a polling location in a predominantly black precinct. In past elections, this polling location had the highest voter turnout for people of color in the county.

In 2017, the board closed more than half of its polling locations ahead of the 2018 Governor’s race. The board’s actions reduced the polling locations from nine to four and shut down the polling location of the predominantly black precinct of Hazlehurst.

Community members in attendance had anticipated that the Board of Elections would vote to reopen the location. However, the board pushed the vote to the next meeting scheduled for June 17.

“Although the Board of Elections did not vote at yesterday’s meeting, we are hopeful that the board will vote to reopen the Hazlehurst location,” stated Aklima Khondoker, Staff Attorney of the ACLU of Georgia. “Hazlehurst voters have the full support of the community, and we are watching closely to ensure that voters in Jeff Davis County have access to their sacred, fundamental right to vote.”