5K+ DeKalb County voters' eligibility in question one month before election

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A little more than a month before Election Day, Republicans in DeKalb County have filed a lawsuit seeking to cancel the registrations of more than 5,000 voters. 

On Wednesday, a group of civil rights organizations asked a judge to intervene.  

The DeKalb County Republican Party is pushing for the county to hold hearings to review each case individually. 

The party’s move has sparked a response from a coalition of civil rights groups, who are now attempting to intervene. 

The county's Republican Party, led by Marci McCarthy, is asking voters to check their registrations before Monday’s deadline for making any changes.  

According to McCarthy, 5,215 voters are being challenged based on claims that they are either no longer residents, have voted in other jurisdictions, or have been out of contact with the Secretary of State’s office. 

"We do need to investigate these people before we go and vote," said McCarthy, chair of the DeKalb County Republican Party. "We want to ensure that our legal voters, across the spectrum, regardless of political affiliation, have an opportunity to vote, know that their vote counted, and not have it disenfranchised by illegal voters." 

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This lawsuit follows a series of similar legal challenges filed by conservative groups across Georgia, all aimed at ensuring the integrity of the voter rolls. 

However, on Wednesday, several civil rights organizations announced a motion to intervene in the case: The Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, New Georgia Project, Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Common Cause Georgia, and League of Women Voters of Georgia, represented by Advancement Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Arnold & Porter. 

"The problem is when you get this close to an election, not only does it sow chaos, but these kinds of last-minute efforts to get voters off the rolls constitute intimidation against voters," said Judith Browne Dianis, executive director of the Advancement Project. 

The civil rights groups argue that federal law prohibits such purges this close to an election and claim that these challenges disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities.  

"We all want clean voter rolls and integrity in our elections," added Dianis. "What people should know is that there is little to no voter fraud in this country." 

In the meantime, Alicia Hughes, a professor at Emory University School of Law, is advising voters to act quickly and ensure their registration is in order. 

"At this juncture, every voter needs to be proactive about everything," said Hughes. 

All parties involved are encouraging voters to visit Georgia’s "My Voter Page" and check their registration status. The deadline to register is Oct. 7.