This summer, Georgia plans to remove nearly half a million voter registrations—one of the most sweeping purges in American electoral history. Officials argue the effort is about maintaining “election integrity,” but voting rights advocates warn it could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for communities of color, low-income families, and rural residents.
⚠️ What’s Happening in Georgia?
Georgia’s Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that around 455,000 voters will be dropped from the registration rolls in July. Officials say many on the list have either moved out of state or haven’t had contact with election officials for years.
According to Blake Evans, the state’s elections director, the move follows Georgia’s “use it or lose it” law. Under this policy, voters can be purged if they don’t vote or respond to election mail over two consecutive general elections and five years of inactivity.
Critics argue this law unfairly targets eligible voters who simply haven’t participated recently—many of whom still live in the state, remain legally registered, and may be unaware their right to vote is at risk.
🔎 Why This Matters:
The planned purge disproportionately impacts:
- People of color
- Low-income residents with unstable housing or limited access to mail
- Rural communities where transportation and internet access may hinder civic engagement
Helen Butler of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda warns, “There are a lot of people who are being removed just because they haven’t voted… You still live in Georgia, you’re still a resident, you should be able to vote.”
This raises a sobering question: Should the right to vote be tied to how often someone uses it?
🛡️ The SAVE Act: A National Response to Local Suppression
This is where the SAVE Act—the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act—comes into play. Backed by a growing number of civil rights advocates and pro-democracy lawmakers, the SAVE Act aims to protect and modernize voter registration systems, ensuring eligible voters are not purged unfairly or without proper notice.
Key Provisions Could:
- Require pre-removal notification and verification steps beyond what many states currently use
- Mandate publicly accessible purge lists in advance of elections
- Introduce federal oversight and transparency for voter roll maintenance
- Offer secure and automatic voter registration systems that reduce human error and racial bias
The SAVE Act is not about party politics—it’s about ensuring every eligible American can vote without arbitrary obstacles.
🧠 Roman Rights Perspective:
The heart of democracy is participation. When nearly half a million people are quietly scrubbed from the rolls, without direct wrongdoing, the system becomes exclusionary.
Maintaining accurate voter lists is important—but purging silent voters is not the same as protecting election integrity. Voters are not credit card accounts to be closed after inactivity.
RomanRights.com believes every American—regardless of zip code, color, or voting frequency—deserves a fair shot at the ballot box. The SAVE Act provides a needed check on a trend that, left unchallenged, could become the silent killer of democracy.
✅ What You Can Do:
- Check your voter registration regularly—even if you haven’t moved
- Support federal legislation like the SAVE Act that protects access to the vote
- Raise awareness in your community about voter purges
- If you’re in Georgia, be on the lookout for the cancellation list in July and contact election officials immediately if you’re on it
🗳️ Your vote is your voice. Don’t let it be erased.
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Roman Rights is committed to protecting democracy, expanding access to voting, and uplifting Latino, working-class, and underserved voices across America. Sign up for our newsletter for updates on legislation like the SAVE Act and how to get involved.
