Georgia

Advocates in Georgia face barriers getting people who were formerly incarcerated to vote

Published

3 months ago

October 10, 2024

Advocates in Georgia face barriers getting people who were formerly incarcerated to vote

ATLANTA — For the first time in over 10 years, Luci Harrell can vote in a presidential election.

Around the time she graduated law school this year, Harrell completed two years of parole and became legally allowed to register.

“It feels important to me…real and symbolic,” Harrell said. “For years I was required by the federal government to pay taxes and pay student loans, yet being denied the ability to vote.”

Harrell is one of an estimated 450,000 people in Georgia with past convictions who are eligible to cast ballots. As get-out-the-vote efforts ramp up across the swing state, advocates have a hard time reaching those who are formerly incarcerated, in part because many of them don’t know they can vote.

“Nobody comes back and informs you that your voting rights are restored,” said Pamela Winn, an Atlanta organizer who was formerly incarcerated. “You don’t receive a letter. There’s no kind of notification. So most people, once they get a felony, in their mind all their rights are gone.”

According to a report released Thursday by The Sentencing Project, which advocates for reducing reducing imprisonment, almost 250,000 people in Georgia cannot vote because of a felony conviction, out of 4 million nationwide.

The national rate has fallen in recent years as some states expanded voting rights for people with past convictions, but Georgia has not followed suit. Most cannot vote until they have completed their prison sentences and are off probation or parole.

Fourteen other states have similar restrictions and 10 are even stricter, but Georgia has the eighth highest rate of people who cannot vote due to past convictions, something observers attribute in part to the state’s unusually long prison and probation sentences.

“We have the No. 1 rate of correctional control,” said Ann Colloton, policy and outreach coordinator for the Georgia Justice Project, which advocates for people in the criminal justice system. “More people per capita are either incarcerated, on probation or on parole than any other state. That’s what drives our rate of felony disenfranchisement.”

A billboard across from a federal courthouse in Atlanta shows Winn and Travis Emory Barber, who also advocates for people who have been incarcerated, standing cross-armed in orange suits alongside the words, “Formerly Incarcerated People/USE YOUR POWER TO VOTE.”

Last Sunday, the day before the state voter registration deadline, the duo set up a tent in west Atlanta to register people. Winn said her organization, IMPPACT, canvasses in areas where there are high rates of people on probation, but there is no way to target people who are eligible or will soon be eligible to vote.

Before he came by the tent, Sirvoris Sutton wasn’t sure whether he could register to vote. He originally chose not to because he didn’t want to be accused of voter fraud, which former President Donald Trump and his supporters have falsely said was widespread in Georgia during the 2020 election.

He learned that day that he will not be able to vote for 11 years, the amount of time he has left on parole.

“It feels like another phase of incarceration again,” Sutton said. “I’m out here in free society. How could my one vote be a threat to the democratic process?”

Of the quarter-million Georgians who cannot vote because of criminal convictions, about 190,000 are ineligible because they are on probation or parole, according to The Sentencing Project. That is the case even though the state passed legislation in 2021 creating a pathway for people to terminate their probation early.

Some people with past convictions feel the government has always failed them and don’t want to vote.

For example, when Christopher Buffin of Terrell County recently left prison, he knew there was a chance he could vote. And two days before Monday’s deadline, an advocate helped him register. But for now at least, he feels too frustrated to actually cast a ballot because he has not gotten his disability benefits back since leaving prison.

“In a marginalized community, voting isn’t really a priority,” Winn said, noting that people who are incarcerated are disproportionately Black and come from economically depressed communities. “The priority is survival.”

Inconsistency from state to state also adds to confusion about whether people can register, observers say.

“The U.S. is an incredibly patchwork nation when it comes to these laws,” said Sarah Shannon, a University of Georgia sociology professor who worked on The Sentencing Project’s report.

Florida has the most who are unable to vote. Voters there approved an amendment in 2018 to expand voting rights for people with past convictions, but legislation and legal rulings reimposed restrictions for those with outstanding fees. In 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said an election police unit arrested 20 people for registering even though they had a felony conviction that made them ineligible.

And in Nebraska, the secretary of state and attorney general issued an opinion this year against two state laws that let people vote after completing their sentences.

Back in Georgia, Democratic senators introduced a bill in 2023 that would modify state law to permit people still serving time for a felony to vote as well as a resolution to remove the state’s constitutional restriction on people voting before completing their sentences. They didn’t pass, however.

Such restrictions on voting rights date back to Jim Crow, after the 13th amendment outlawed slavery except as a punishment for crime. States such as Georgia added language to their constitutions that banned voting for people convicted of a felony “involving moral turpitude,” a vague term that state officials say apply to all felonies.

Organizers feel the weight of this history today as Black people are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates. The Sentencing Project estimates that over half of the people who can’t vote due to past convictions in Georgia are Black. But even for those who can, getting them to vote is an ongoing battle.

“Because people are marginalized and because they have criminal background, they are led to believe that their vote doesn’t count,” Winn said.

Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon

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Georgia

Should South Georgia be worried about potential impacts from the Bird Flu?

Published

6 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Should South Georgia be worried about potential impacts from the Bird Flu?

WALB is working to produce video for this story. In the meantime, we encourage you to watch our livestream.

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – According to the CDC, H5N1 or Bird Flu, is a virus that originates from wild birds. Both poultry and cows can contract this virus.

Through consumption of dairy products and interactions with infected animals, humans are also at risk for exposure.

“I think that people need to be appropriately concerned. And for most people, that’s going to mean taking precautions if they are engaging in any type of high-risk exposure. So, if they are a dairy or a poultry farm worker, absolutely they need to be taking precautions,” said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist from the University of Saskatchewan.

The CDC reports that there are 65 confirmed cases of bird flu in the US, so far none in Georgia. But many are at risk for exposure. Experts say those with backyard chickens should wear appropriate personal protective equipment when near those birds.

“When you think about all the various ways that Avian Influenza can spread, the biggest vector usually is wild birds migrating, bringing the disease into an area it wasn’t before. It’s really hard to control that interaction between domesticated birds and wild birds, especially when we want things like cage free eggs,” said Chad Hart, an Agricultural Economist at Iowa State University.

In November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that over 6 million infected chickens were slaughtered in an attempt to contain the virus from spreading to humans, but recent trends in raw milk consumption have experts worried for those who prefer unpasteurized dairy products.

“I strongly advise people not to drink raw milk. This is not a good way to immunize yourself against H5N1, and it might be a very good way to infect yourself with a massive dose of H5N1 that could lead to severe or fatal disease, and especially in a child,” continued Rasmussen.

Experts say the spread of Bird Flu from one human to another is rare. It’s more likely for an individual to contract the virus through exposure or consumption of infected animals and their by-products. The University of Georgia is currently one of five institutions working with the Food and Drug Administration to test the country’s dairy supply for signs of H5N1.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

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Georgia

Georgia Lottery Mega Millions, Cash 3 results for Dec. 24, 2024

Published

16 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

The Georgia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2024, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

11-14-38-45-46, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

Midday: 2-1-3

Evening: 7-9-7

Night: 3-4-6

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

Midday: 4-5-8-6

Evening: 4-7-0-7

Night: 4-7-9-2

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

07-23-25-46-57, Cash Ball: 03

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

Early Bird: 03

Matinee: 08

Drive Time: 04

Primetime: 05

Night Owl: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Georgia FIVE numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

Midday: 2-8-4-4-7

Evening: 7-6-6-4-6

Check Georgia FIVE payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing

04-15-25-37-42

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes under $601: Can be claimed at any Georgia Lottery retail location. ALL PRIZES can be claimed by mail to: Georgia Lottery Corporation, P.O. Box 56966, Atlanta, GA 30343.
Prizes over $600: Must be claimed at Georgia Lottery Headquarters or any Georgia Lottery district office or mailed to the Georgia Lottery for payment.

When are the Georgia Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 3 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 3 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 (Night): 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Cash 4 Life: 9:00 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Early Bird): 8:00 a.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Matinee): 1:00 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Drive Time): 5:00 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Primetime): 8:00 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop (Night Owl): 11:59 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Midday): 12:29 p.m. ET daily.
Georgia FIVE (Evening): 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
Fantasy 5: 11:34 p.m. ET daily.
Jumbo Bucks Lotto: 11:00 p.m. ET on Monday and Thursday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Georgia editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Georgia

Georgia's immigrant communities brace for mass deportations in new Trump term

Published

24 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Georgia's immigrant communities brace for mass deportations in new Trump term

Georgia immigrant families brace for mass deportations

Immigrant families across Georgia are bracing for mass deportations but what could that look like here in metro Atlanta?

Immigrant families across Georgia are having difficult conversations around the table this holiday season, preparing for the possibility of mass deportations when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

The president-elect has vowed to implement what he has called the “largest deportation program in American history,” and has discussed using the military to do so.

Members of Atlanta’s Hispanic community recently gathered in Brookhaven for a town hall meeting to discuss these policies’ potential impact, and what the weeks and months to come could look like.

“We’ve started preparing the community for what might happen,” Santiago Marquez, CEO of the Buford-based Latin American Association (LAA), said. “For mixed-status families that we have talked to, there’s fear and concern.”

This year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that 4,500 people in the Atlanta metro area who were in the country illegally have been deported.

The debate over immigration enforcement intensified after the murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Athens at the hands Venezuelan national Jose Ibarra.

That fueled calls from Republicans for an immigration crackdown.

President-elect Trump has promised to bring troops into communities nationwide to aid in carrying out deportations.

Mark Nevitt, an associate professor at Emory Law, explained the legal framework that could be invoked to facilitate such actions.

“The president does have broad authorities under a law called the Insurrection Act,” Nevitt said. “He’d have to declare an insurrection, which is arguably not the case in this specific instance. There’s not sort of an open insurrection against the president.”

He warned that doing so could harm civil-military relations, threaten civil liberties, and endanger lives.

There are also concerns about the psychological and emotional toll these measures could have on immigrant communities.

“I think that would be terrifying to a lot of people. It might remind them of their countries that they fled,” he said.

Marquez advises individuals who could be affected to educate themselves on their legal rights and to create a contingency plan while awaiting further details on the president-elect’s policies. The LAA has more information on its website.

The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Rob DiRienzo cited statements from President-elect Donald Trump and spoke to the CEO of the Latin American Association and Emory Law associate professor Mark Nevitt for the information provided in this article.

ImmigrationGeorgiaDonald J. TrumpNews

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