FILE PHOTO. People wait in line to vote on the last day of early voting at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 1, 2024. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage / AFP) (Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - The U.S. Department of Justice has been directed to dismiss a high-profile lawsuit challenging Georgia’s Senate Bill 202, a sweeping election law passed in 2021. The decision was announced Monday by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who said the move reflects a commitment to restoring trust in the nation’s election systems.
What we know:
The lawsuit, originally filed during the Biden administration, alleged that the law was designed to suppress Black voter turnout — a claim Bondi rejected, citing increased turnout among Black voters since the law took effect.
"Georgians deserve secure elections, not fabricated claims of voter suppression meant to divide us," Bondi said in a statement. "This Department of Justice will protect the vote and never play politics with election integrity."
Senate Bill 202 included several controversial provisions, including requiring photo ID for all voting methods, tightening absentee ballot procedures, and mandating faster reporting of election results. Critics, including civil rights groups and some Democratic leaders, previously referred to the law as "Jim Crow 2.0," warning that it could disproportionately impact minority voters.
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The Biden administration’s lawsuit helped spark nationwide debate and corporate backlash, including Major League Baseball’s decision to move the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta — a move some economists estimated cost Georgia over $100 million.
What they're saying:
With the lawsuit dismissed, Department of Justice officials say the agency will focus on addressing legitimate cases of discrimination while supporting measures to secure elections.
Gov. Brian Kemp issued the following statement:
"Despite the lies and misinformation from Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, and their allies, Georgia is one of the top states in the country for early voting and experienced record voter turnout in multiple elections since the passage of the Elections Integrity Act," said Governor Brian Kemp. "I am grateful that under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Trump, the DOJ has followed the truth: in Georgia, it's easy to vote and hard to cheat!"
Secretary Brad Raffensperger expressed his appreciation for the DOJ's decision, stating, "This reaffirms that the Election Integrity Act stands on solid legal ground. Our commitment has always been to ensure fair and secure elections for every Georgian, despite losing an All-Star game and the left’s boycott of Georgia as a result of commonsense election law."
With this development, Secretary Raffensperger is once again urging the DOJ to comply with a federal judge's order to release documents pertaining to the department's prior coordination with various advocacy groups concerning the lawsuit. These documents were initially requested under the Freedom of Information Act to shed light on potential collaboration that influenced the DOJ's decision to challenge Georgia's election law. A federal judge agreed with Raffensperger, ordering DOJ to release these documents. To date, the Secretary’s office has received none.
"Transparency is paramount in upholding public trust," emphasized Secretary Raffensperger. "We call upon the DOJ to release these documents promptly, per court order, so we can better understand why this suit was brought in the first place."