Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta Leads Election Protection Efforts For AAPI Voters Amid Rising Concerns Over Voter Access and Intimidation
STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2024
CONTACT:
James Woo, Advancing Justice-Atlanta, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Atlanta, GA - On Tuesday, October 15th, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta mobilized election protection teams in 25 cities across 8 counties on the first day of early voting. Our efforts focused on ensuring voters’ rights amid reports of registration issues, absentee ballot delays, and misinformation.
“The rising engagement of AAPI voters speaks volumes about their commitment to shaping the future of Georgia,” said Murtaza Kwaja, Executive Director at Advancing Justice-Atlanta. “Advancing Justice-Atlanta is here to protect that commitment, ensuring that every voter—regardless of language—is able to cast their vote freely and confidently.”
Over 3 million Georgians have already voted, yet our poll monitors faced harassment, notably in Hall County, where an individual accused them—without evidence—of aiding ineligible immigrants and threatened to film them without consent. These baseless and xenophobic accusations raise deep concerns about deterring eligible immigrant voters who have naturalized to U.S. citizenship and intimidating poll monitors dedicated to upholding a fair voting process.
As advocates for language access, we recognize ongoing barriers for voters with limited English proficiency. We commend Athens-Clarke County’s efforts to provide Spanish-language ballots, a crucial step in promoting voter access. However, many language-minority voters still rely on absentee ballots, and some seniors have reported not receiving their ballots despite early requests—putting their participation at risk. We remain concerned about their ability to vote if these options remain compromised.
While we are heartened by early reports of high voter turnout during early voting, Advancing Justice-Atlanta remains vigilant about ensuring that all Georgians are able to exercise their right to vote. As Election Day approaches, we have received an increase in calls regarding registration status, absentee ballots, and voters struggling to verify their eligibility.
We are grateful to all of those who have come together to work in partnership on election protection efforts, including our many coalition partners across the state. Our collective effort reflects a commitment to a multiracial, multicultural democracy that truly supports and uplifts our diverse communities.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast
