Don’t Let High Turnout Distract You From the Reality of Voter Suppression

Kentucky and Georgia are having historic turnouts, but that doesn’t mean voters aren’t facing major obstacles

Voters cast fill out their ballot during Tuesdays Kentucky primary on June 23, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty ImagesKentucky and Georgia’s historic voter turnouts for primary elections are a tremendous victory, one that speaks to the backbreaking work of thousands of volunteers, organizers, and candidates (many of them Black, Indigenous, and of color) who drove out the vote in their districts.

Though there appeared to be few issues during Election Day, poll workers temporarily locked out several Jefferson County voters who were unable to reach the polling place by 6 p.m. due to traffic leading to the Expo Center.

And now Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is refusing to mail absentee ballot applications to voters for the August runoff and November general election.

And though it may be true that Kentucky and Georgia broke records in their primary voter turnout, it is also true that these states, and many others, can do far better in November.

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