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GOP Legislator Says He'd 'Prefer More Educated Voters' Over Black Early Voters


Georgia state Sen. Fran Millar (R)
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By Samantha Lachman
Posted: 09/10/2014 10:47 am EDT Updated: 4 hours ago

A Republican state senator complained on Tuesday about a predominantly black Georgia county's move to make early voting available at a mall on a Sunday before November's general election, saying he'd rather have "more educated voters than a greater increase in the number of voters."

After the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported [ http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2014/09/06/6289/ ] that DeKalb County would have early voting at the mall on Sunday, Oct. 26, Georgia state Sen. Fran Millar went on a Facebook tirade [ https://www.facebook.com/millar.ga/posts/718236501557052 (in full next below)]:

Now we are to have Sunday voting at South DeKalb Mall just prior to the election. Per Jim Galloway of the AJC, this location is dominated by African American shoppers and it is near several large African American mega churches such as New Birth Missionary Baptist. Galloway also points out the Democratic Party thinks this is a wonderful idea - what a surprise. I'm sure Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are delighted with this blatantly partisan move in DeKalb. Is it possible church buses will be used to transport people directly to the mall since the poll will open when the mall opens? If this happens, so much for the accepted principle of separation of church and state.

In a rather blatant admission that he didn't want more black people voting, Millar wrote that he was "investigating if there is any way to stop this action."

Responding to criticism, Millar insisted [ https://twitter.com/AlexRowell/status/509447252427821057 ] that his comments weren't related to race but rather to partisanship, saying that the early voting location was "a partisan stunt" and "an effort to maximize Democratic votes pure and simple."

He then told the AJC [ http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2014/09/09/gop-state-senator-says-first-sunday-vote-in-dekalb-will-be-the-last/ ] that when he wrote "educated" he "defined educated as being informed on the issues."

Georgia Democratic Party Chairman Dubose Porter told the AJC that Miller's comments hinted at a desire to return to the era when states subjected black voters to poll taxes and literacy tests.

"What have Georgia Republicans come to when they are outwardly admitting to suppressing the African-American vote?" Porter said. "Further, his comments about 'educated voters' are reprehensible. I suppose Fran would prefer a return to literacy tests or the poll tax while he's at it."

Republican legislators in states like Wisconsin [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/11/15/wisconsin-republicans-move-to-cut-early-voting-hours/ ], Ohio [ http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ohio-early-voting-cuts ], Florida [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/limits-on-early-voting-in_n_1184134.html ] and North Carolina [ http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/other-races/211511-north-carolina-democrats-fight-new-voter-id-law ] have moved to reduce or eliminate early voting on weekends, citing budgetary concerns or a need to make the hours of rural voting locations consistent with urban ones.

Millar, who serves in the state Senate's GOP leadership, was embroiled in another controversy [ http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/091700/met_4081681.html ] 14 years ago, when he fought to make the pre-1879 Confederate flag Georgia's official state flag.

Copyright ©2014 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/10/fran-millar-georgia-_n_5797010.html [with comments]


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Fran Millar
Yesterday [September 9, 2014] at 6:25am

INTERIM DEKALB CEO HONEYMOON OVER

How ironic! Michele Obama comes to town and Chicago politics comes to DeKalb.

For the third time in recent months Governor Deal appointee Interim CEO Lee May has disappointed those of us that hoped he could help bring the county together.

First, he assembles a task force of 15 with no elected Republicans to review various aspects of county government. I called his hand and Representative Jacobs and I were asked to serve on the group. This seems like a good idea since legislation will be required for many changes. Second, he schedules meetings throughout the county with Tucker being the only north location. Again, I called his hand and several north locations were added with little publicity.

Now we are to have Sunday voting at South DeKalb Mall just prior to the election. Per Jim Galloway of the AJC, this location is dominated by African American shoppers and it is near several large African American mega churches such as New Birth Missionary Baptist. Galloway also points out the Democratic Party thinks this is a wonderful idea – what a surprise. I’m sure Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are delighted with this blatantly partisan move in DeKalb.

Is it possible church buses will be used to transport people directly to the mall since the poll will open when the mall opens? If this happens, so much for the accepted principle of separation of church and state.

Interim CEO May says this election decision is an administrative matter and he can unilaterally make this decision. I don’t think this is necessarily true and we are investigating if there is any way to stop this action.

This may be another reason to eliminate the CEO position.

I have spoken with Representative Jacobs and we will try to eliminate this election law loophole in January. Galloway summed it up, “Democrats are showing their hand on how they might boost their numbers”. For this to be called a “non-partisan opportunity” by Interim CEO is an insult!

Another first for DeKalb! So much for being inclusive.

https://www.facebook.com/millar.ga/posts/718236501557052 [with comments]


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