Georgia Senate
Georgia state Sen. Fran Millar reportedly is outraged at the opening of an early-voting location in a mall patronized predominantly by African Americans.
Millar, a Republican, voiced his opposition after DeKalb County announced that early voting would begin Oct. 26 and would have a location at the Gallery at South Dekalb Mall, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
According to ThinkProgress, Millar took to Facebook to voice his displeasure with the process, even opining that a recent visit by first lady Michelle Obama had brought Chicago politics to Atlanta. Millar wrote:
Now we are to have Sunday voting at South DeKalb Mall just prior to the election. Per Jim Galloway of the AJC, this location is dominated by African-American shoppers and it is near several large African-American mega churches such as New Birth Missionary Baptist. Galloway also points out the Democratic Party thinks this is a wonderful idea—what a surprise. I’m sure Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are delighted with this blatantly partisan move in DeKalb.
Is it possible church buses will be used to transport people directly to the mall since the poll will open when the mall opens? If this happens, so much for the accepted principle of separation of church and state.
Millar has received some harsh criticism from both friends and the media on his Facebook page but stands by his earlier statement, adding that he would rather have “more educated voters than a greater increase in the number of voters.”
Read more at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ThinkProgress.