"MISLEADING NARRATIVES ABOUND ABOUT GEORGIA'S NEW VOTING LAW" – LOEFFLER PENS OP-ED IN THE AJC
April 5, 2021
In case you missed it, Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler wrote an op-ed published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
on Sunday slamming the partisan misinformation being spread by the mainstream media and the left about the Election Integrity Act. The op-ed also highlights the consequences of eroding voter confidence and outlines why voter turnout is crucial to promoting the pro-growth policies that lift up every Georgian. Read the full text of Kelly's op-ed below:
The mainstream media’s narrative about Georgia’s elections legislation, the Election Integrity Act, which expands voting, has been completely partisan and wrong.
In 2020, we saw unprecedented changes to our state’s elections that ultimately eroded faith in the process. I know firsthand because I was a candidate in the two largest elections in our state’s history.
Georgia made national news with problems during primary voting, transitioned to new voting machines and drop boxes in the midst of a pandemic, learned of legal settlements that created mistrust of absentee ballots, then saw unsolicited absentee ballot applications mailed out statewide – just to name a few.
As a result, voters’ trust in our elections is at a record low. Thankfully, our state legislature did not bend to the media’s narrative and has taken prudent steps to strengthen our state’s elections.
Restoring faith and confidence in our elections isn’t a partisan issue and the majority of Georgians demanded more integrity, as data shows. In a late January The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, 55% of Georgians said they support more safeguards in our elections, including 74% support for requiring a valid state identification when casting absentee ballots. That same margin of support exists for state IDs across the country.
Yet, while Georgia lawmakers listened to their constituents, Washington politicians are ignoring the will of the people in a partisan power grab. H.R. 1 – the “For the People Act” – would take constitutional powers from the states in conducting elections. This includes banning states from requiring voter identification, while allowing ballot harvesting.
And, amid an epic crisis at the Southern border, H.R. 1 would eliminate felony penalties for illegal immigrants who vote in our elections. At nearly 1,000 pages, it’s a massive partisan takeover of our most-important democratic institution. We must reject the liberal talking point that equates commonsense voting integrity measures to voter suppression.
But it’s not just Washington liberals who are moving quickly to take power from the people. When Big Tech executives like Mark Zuckerberg pour hundreds of millions of dollars into pivotal local boards of elections that could potentially influence outcomes, one has to question liberal tolerance if a conservative donor had done the same. At the same time, Big Tech monopolies censored conservatives on social media, and the mainstream media suppressed news coverage that could have impacted elections. Americans are waking up to this threat and polling shows growing concerns of bias in mainstream media and Big Tech influence on our elections.
Stepping back from the media narrative, the reality is that Georgia’s Election Integrity Act was based on expanding access and confidence. Expanding early in-person voting hours, establishing a hotline to report voter fraud, implementing state ID requirements for absentee ballots (it already applies to voting in person) and eliminating subjective signature matches, extending the use and uniformity of ballot drop boxes, printing ballots on security paper, requiring electors to vote in their own precinct, preventing election boards from accepting outside money, establishing a nonpartisan state elections board chair, and preserving Sunday voting all make sense.
You might ask why liberal groups are fighting steps to reduce interference and promote a stronger democracy. Perhaps it’s because once elections are secure, the focus will go back to the policies that impact Georgians’ lives every day and to holding politicians accountable for failed policies.
We’ve already felt the impact of Washington’s expanding role in our daily lives with rising gas prices, lost jobs, closed schools, open borders and falling support for safer communities.
The consequence of a loss of faith in elections extends beyond those who already vote. Half a million Georgians who voted in the November election, did not vote in the January runoffs – and 339,000 of those typically vote Republican.
Additionally, 2.5 million registered Georgians haven’t voted in recent elections, with another 2 million who are still unregistered. The sense that their vote doesn’t count – or that their voice isn’t important -- leads millions of our neighbors to stay home. We now have more safeguards to ensure they are not discouraged or mistrustful.
Rather than engage in partisan, mainstream narratives, the legislature focused on strengthening integrity for all voters. As a result, we now have practical solutions that restore accountability, extend access and expand transparency for every Georgia voter. In a state that is now a key battleground, helping more people vote — with more confidence — is something we can all be proud of.
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Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
ATLANTA, GA — Today, Greater Georgia Action, Inc. announced a statewide education tour to inform Georgians about consequential legislation passed during the 2025 legislative session, with a heavy focus on Governor Brian Kemp’s civil judicial reform package. Engaging speakers and innovative event formats will allow Georgians to learn about the impact of these laws and ask questions in an approachable environment. Each unique event, ranging from small business roundtables to town halls, will feature key civic leaders, elected officials, and topic experts. Additional information will be made available closer to the event. Greater Georgia is excited to visit: April 16, 2025 - Dekalb County (Stonecrest, GA) featuring Insurance Commissioner John King Bibb County (Macon, GA) Fulton County (Alpharetta, GA) Chatham County (Savannah, GA) Whitfield County (Dalton, GA) Gwinnett County (TBD) Doughtery County (Albany, GA) Athens Clarke County (Athens, GA) Lowndes County (Valdosta, GA) “Educating diverse and disengaged communities is a key mission of Greater Georgia, so we’re taking our message on the road to reach voters where they are,” said Terry Fye, Director of Outreach for Greater Georgia. “Georgia took an immense step toward balanced court rooms and competitive insurance markets, and these events will help Georgians understand the full benefits of tort reform and provide real- time feedback to their elected officials.” “Session is out, and now our work begins in earnest to educate voters on the legislation passed that will impact them and their families. This tour will empower voters and provide them with the resources they need to make informed decisions next November.” For additional information about Greater Georgia and to receive updates about the education tour, please visit our website, https://www.greatergeorgia.com/.
ATLANTA, GA — Today, Greater Georgia Action, Inc. announced a statewide education tour to inform Georgians about consequential legislation passed during the 2025 legislative session, with a heavy focus on Governor Brian Kemp’s civil judicial reform package. Engaging speakers and innovative event formats will allow Georgians to learn about the impact of these laws and ask questions in an approachable environment. Each unique event, ranging from small business roundtables to town halls, will feature key civic leaders, elected officials, and topic experts. Additional information will be made available closer to the event. Greater Georgia is excited to visit: April 16, 2025 - Dekalb County (Stonecrest, GA) featuring Insurance Commissioner John King Bibb County (Macon, GA) Fulton County (Alpharetta, GA) Chatham County (Savannah, GA) Whitfield County (Dalton, GA) Gwinnett County (TBD) Doughtery County (Albany, GA) Athens Clarke County (Athens, GA) Lowndes County (Valdosta, GA) “Educating diverse and disengaged communities is a key mission of Greater Georgia, so we’re taking our message on the road to reach voters where they are,” said Terry Fye, Director of Outreach for Greater Georgia. “Georgia took an immense step toward balanced court rooms and competitive insurance markets, and these events will help Georgians understand the full benefits of tort reform and provide real- time feedback to their elected officials.” “Session is out, and now our work begins in earnest to educate voters on the legislation passed that will impact them and their families. This tour will empower voters and provide them with the resources they need to make informed decisions next November.” For additional information about Greater Georgia and to receive updates about the education tour, please visit our website, https://www.greatergeorgia.com/.
ATLANTA – Today, Greater Georgia announced that its 2024 pre-election voter registration push registered over 7,000 new conservative voters and re-engaged over 4,000 inactive conservative voters. Inactive voters are those who had not participated in an election in the last five years - in this case, since at least 2018. "Greater Georgia has become the leading conservative voter registration group in our state - working year-round to expand the tent, rather than taking it down after every election," said Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler. "Since 2021, we have registered more than 55,000 new voters, who just became part of the landslide that elected President Trump. We've proved our thesis that we can keep Georgia red as long as we work year-round, every year, to grow the conservative movement. Today, as we prepare for the next election cycle starting with municipal elections in 2025, we can confidently say that the movement has never been stronger or more energized." Greater Georgia is the state's leading conservative voter registration organization. Since it was founded in 2021, the group has registered and re-engaged more than 55,000 voters. It has also worked to build diverse coalitions and advocate for election integrity. In 2024, the group invested in multiple six-figure campaigns, including an 8-week voter registration campaign that ran from August to October, featuring digital ads, text messages, in-person voter registration drives, and over 115,000 phone calls to unregistered voters. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
ATLANTA – Today, Former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler applauded the efforts of Greater Georgia, the Georgia GOP, the RNC, and other conservative groups after Republicans won decisive victories up and down the ballot across the state. President Trump won with a record-breaking 2.65 million votes, the most ever received by a Republican candidate in Georgia. Republicans in the State Senate maintained their 33-23 majority and Republicans in the State House will also preserve their majority, having defended three key tossup districts and flipped one Democrat-held seat. “I founded Greater Georgia to apply the strategic lessons we learned in the 2020 election, with the singular mission of creating a winning conservative infrastructure in our state. Over nearly four years, we have invested millions and worked every day to drive voter registration, diverse community outreach, and election integrity, building a new conservative coalition and solidifying Georgia as a red state,” said Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler. “Last night’s victories, from the state legislature to the presidency, were years in the making. They are a testament to the candidates, campaigns, and preparation of groups like Greater Georgia, the Georgia Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, and other key partners. From the ground game to election integrity, 2024 was a massive step change for conservatives despite being outraised at every level. “We’re already evaluating the data to find ways to sustain these gains for the long term - and I look forward to collaborating with our conservative counterparts to build on this solid foundation to engage Georgia voters and keep our state red.” Leading up to this election, Greater Georgia invested over $1M in voter registration and several get-out-the-vote campaigns, making more than 14,000,000 voter contacts. Greater Georgia targeted - and saw gains from - the following conservative-leaning groups: Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters Voters aged 18-29 South Georgia voters impacted by Hurricane Helene Low-propensity male voters in North Georgia Conservative and swing voters in Fulton County Greater Georgia, launched by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is a 501(c4) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters. The group works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities, and protect election integrity. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
ATLANTA – Tonight, Greater Georgia Chairwoman and Former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler issued the following statement after President Donald Trump won Georgia’s 16 electoral college votes in the 2024 presidential election. “Tonight’s win is one of the greatest political victories in modern history. Despite the relentless attempts to jail, bankrupt, slander, and assassinate him – Donald J. Trump has flipped the state of Georgia red in a decisive victory for his America First movement. Voters rejected Kamala Harris’ failed record and, along with millions of their fellow Americans, cast their ballots to restore strength, security, and the American Dream. “This is a significant milestone for Georgia, and I join our voters in thanking President Trump for his relentless commitment to making America greater than ever before, and for the sacrifices of the entire Trump family. The future of our nation is bright thanks to his willingness to fight for it. And as Chairwoman of Greater Georgia, I also thank our staff, volunteers, and interns who have spent nearly four years building a winning conservative infrastructure that just helped move our state back into the solidly red column.” Senator Loeffler is the top donor to President Trump in Georgia, having contributed more than $6,000,000 in support of his re-election campaign. Greater Georgia has made over 14,000,000 voter contacts in the last six months, as part of the organization's effort to register and mobilize voters ahead of the presidential election. Greater Georgia, launched by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is a 501(c4) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters. The group works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities, and protect election integrity. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
(ATLANTA) – Today, Greater Georgia announced a new digital ad, text message, and phone call campaign to drive up voter turnout in key Republican counties. Early voting turnout is currently strongest in counties that President Trump won in the 2020 election. However, Greater Georgia is targeting 80,000 Republican voters in four major counties with a turnout of less than 40%: Bartow, Carroll, Walker, and Whitfield. "Republican counties are outpacing Democrat counties on turnout, which is a clear sign that conservatives have the enthusiasm advantage in Georgia,” said Greater Georgia Chairwoman and former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler. “But Greater Georgia is taking nothing for granted – which is why we’re closely watching the data and making real-time adjustments to drive up turnout in key areas. By flooding the state with get-out-the-vote efforts where they are needed most, we will augment our margin of victory – and help President Trump and the entire ticket deliver a clear victory next Tuesday." Bartow, Carroll, Walker, and Whitfield counties are the only Republican strongholds in the state with a turnout of less than 40%. As of this morning, the average turnout in counties that went for Trump in 2020 is 41.5%. The average turnout in counties that went for Biden in 2020 is 38.9%. Several Republican stronghold counties are seeing high turnout, including Forsyth with 56.3% turnout and Cherokee with 49.6% turnout. Meanwhile, Democrat strongholds like Dougherty and Clayton counties have only achieved 28.6% and 36.4% turnout, respectively. This is the latest GOTV campaign from Greater Georgia, which has also launched targeted campaigns to encourage Black, Hispanic, Asian, and young voters to support President Trump . ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com