The vice president convened a roundtable discussion with voting rights leaders in Atlanta on Tuesday, January 10, 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited Atlanta on Tuesday, January 10, 2024, to attend a roundtable discussion on voting rights that included advocates and Congress members. The event was hosted by the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda, a coalition of organizations working to advance social justice and democracy in the state.
The vice president called Georgia “ground zero” on the issue of the right to vote, noting that more than 300 anti-voter bills were introduced last year at the state level. She also outlined steps that the Biden-Harris administration is taking to protect voting rights and our democracy, such as ensuring voter registration information is available on vote.gov in 17 languages.
She also called on Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, two bills that aim to expand access to voting, reduce partisan gerrymandering, and restore federal oversight of elections. She said these bills are essential for ensuring fair and free elections for all Americans.
The voting rights leaders who participated in the conversation shared their concerns about threats to voting rights taking place across the country, such as mis- and disinformation, voter intimidation, harassment of poll and election workers, and mass ballot challenges. They also shared their work nationally and locally to advance protections for voters, such as engaging young people and rural communities, recruiting election and poll workers, and helping all voters know their rights.
Harris has been visiting Atlanta frequently since she was sworn in as vice president.
This was not the first time that Harris addressed the issue of voting rights in Georgia. In September 2023, she spoke at Morehouse College about her experience as a Black woman running for office and urged students to get involved in politics. In December 2023, she cheered on her alma mater Howard University when they played in Atlanta’s Celebration Bowl against Florida A&M University. After the game, she visited a popular restaurant with her second gentleman Doug Emhoff and other guests.
Harris has been visiting Atlanta frequently since she was sworn in as vice president on January 20, 2021. She has made 10 trips to the metro Atlanta area so far. She is expected to play a large role in efforts to drum up support among African-American and young voters for Joe Biden’s campaign ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Georgia is considered a pivotal swing state that could determine who wins the White House.
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