GOP activist's voter challenges raise questions in Georgia

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

GOP activist’s voter challenges raise questions in Georgia

By BILL BARROW
December 22, 2020

ATLANTA (AP) — When a conservative organization announced plans this month to launch an election integrity operation in Georgia, the group’s news release included a high-profile name: the chairman of the state’s Republican Party. Less than a week later, the same group announced plans to challenge the eligibility of hundreds of thousands of Georgia voters.

To Democrats in the state and voting rights advocates, it was verification of what they have long argued — that the Georgia GOP is supporting efforts to suppress voting in one of the nation’s newest political battlegrounds. It also raised questions about the legality of any coordination between the state party and the group True the Vote, charges the organization’s founder disputes.

A relatively obscure conservative group, True the Vote is among the numerous political organizations descending on Georgia ahead of a pair of high-stakes Senate run-offs on Jan. 5. The outcome of the contests will determine which party controls the Senate as President-elect Joe Biden launches his administration.

On Dec. 14, True the Vote announced it was launching an “election integrity” campaign in Georgia as “partners with (the) Georgia GOP to ensure transparent, secure ballot effort” for the Senate runoffs. The release featured a quote attributed to Georgia Republican Chairman David Shafer: “The resources of True the Vote will help us organize and implement the most comprehensive ballot security initiative in Georgia history.”

-snip-

Campaign finance law forbids political parties from accepting contributions — including non-cash, “in-kind” contributions of goods and services — from any corporation. Not-for-profits with the tax status granted to True the Vote also have strict limits on the kind of activities they conduct, essentially allowing for generic voter registration and turnout drives.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/georgia-elections-political-organizations-voter-registration-atlanta-3a8989df44c323ce798e0a5d34eb9876

[stopdiggin]

1. most substantial thing going on here is "private" challenges

to voter registration. Really dumb idea. But, unfortunately made legal within GA statute.
It's kind of the old story -- first you gotta' vote the bastards out ---

(very hard to prove collusion between these groups and official campaigns or parties)