LULAC AND GLOBAL BLACK ECONOMIC FORUM OPPOSE NEW GEORGIA LAW
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Joins with Black Leadership in Opposition to SB 189
Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Global Black Economic Forum have issued a joint warning regarding new legislation in Georgia, citing it as a dangerous precedent that targets Black and Latino voters unfairly. The law, SB 189, is designed to create barriers that suppress the votes of these communities in the upcoming 2024 elections.
"Voter intimidation and interference have always been an issue in elections, although not on the scale that Georgia's SB 189 law has ushered in," Stated Roman Palomares, LULAC National President. Unfettered and limitless voter challenges threaten the legal standing of registered voters in Georgia simply because someone without personal knowledge of voting fraud can challenge votes without any evidence. "The impact on Latino and Black voters will be felt negatively as we have seen in the past when party zealots embark on a campaign of disenfranchisement and work to subvert communities' of color participation in the democratic process. We cannot abide and let this law silence our voices," adds Palomares.
According to the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO), more than 400,000 Latino voters are estimated to be registered for the 2024 elections, making up approximately 5% of all voters in Georgia. With a population of 1.1 million, Latinos are now the third-largest racial or ethnic group in Georgia, based on the 2020 census. Additionally, around 20,000 children of immigrants become eligible to register to vote every year in Georgia.
"The intent behind Senate Bill 189 is clear: to prevent people from participating in our democracy," said President and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum Alphonso David. "These restrictions will disproportionately impact Black and marginalized communities, further disenfranchising those who are already vulnerable. We must always oppose efforts that make voting harder and protect the fundamental freedom to participate in our democratic process."
LULAC and the Global Black Economic Forum remain committed to ensuring that every eligible voter can exercise their constitutional right without undue hindrance.
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About League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 535 Councils and 145,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services, and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/
About Global Black Economic Forum
The Global Black Economic Forum is an international enterprise focused on advancing the economic interests of the Black Diaspora and other marginalized groups through global summits, workplace training and leadership development, policy advocacy, and thought leadership.