ATLANTA, GA – In a victory for voters, a federal court today said a lawsuit challenging Georgia’s anti-voter law can move forward. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) brought the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on behalf of VoteAmerica, the Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information. The lawsuit specifically contests provisions of Georgia’s S.B. 202 that violate the groups’ First Amendment right to distribute vote-by-mail applications. The lawsuit is now on a fast track for a decision on the merits.

“Georgia’s anti-voter law threatens the critical work of nonpartisan organizations that help vulnerable communities vote,” said Paul Smith, vice president for litigation and strategy at Campaign Legal Center (CLC). “We look forward to the opportunity to show the court the serious constitutional problems with Georgia’s law.”

“This is an important step forward for Georgia voters and for the defense of civic participation,” said VoteAmerica founder and CEO Debra Cleaver. “As we saw in the 2020 general election and 2021 runoff elections, millions of Georgians requested, received and cast their votes by mail, leading to unprecedented voter turnout. A backlash against high turnout amongst African-American, Latino and other voters of color should not be allowed to win the day.”

“Today’s decision by the court is a major win for Georgia’s voters,” said Tom Lopach, president and CEO of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Voter Participation Center (VPC) and Center for Voter Information (CVI). “Through this lawsuit, we are contesting Georgia’s anti-voter law and specifically the provisions that would inhibit our ability to help Georgians vote-by-mail. At VPC and CVI, we’ll keep fighting to win this legal battle in Georgia, protect our democracy, and ensure every American can make their voices heard.”

In March 2021, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed S.B. 202 into law. The omnibus measure makes numerous changes to Georgia’s election system, specifically targeting access to vote by mail. These changes to Georgia’s election code prohibit the Secretary of State, county election officials and other government officials from sending vote-by-mail applications directly to any voter unless the voter specifically requests one. The law restricts third party organizations from distributing vote-by-mail applications to voters. Furthermore, the law imposes a $100 fine for every application sent by an organization to a person who has already requested, received, or voted using an absentee ballot—a major financial disincentive for nonprofit groups trying to aid with absentee ballot applications to registered voters.

Learn more about CLC’s work to combat state-level bills restricting Americans’ freedom to vote. 

Cleveland, OH — Campaign Legal Center, All Voting is Local, Ohio Voice, and Common Cause today urged Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to issue an opinion for County Boards of Elections on what election-related activity is permitted or restricted under a newly implemented law that appears to forbid election officials from collaborating with advocates.

The budget bill passed by the Ohio Legislature this summer includes a provision that calls for a potentially sweeping prohibition on collaboration between election officials and community groups, a move that will limit voter registration and other efforts to help voters make their voices heard. However, public comments by the Secretary of State’s office and state legislators from both parties have indicated it was not the legislature’s intent to ban such programming, ultimately creating confusion about what is or isn’t restricted. 

“The ongoing confusion among local election officials, the uneven interpretation of this new law by county prosecuting attorneys, and the lack of clarity in the law itself warrants an unambiguous opinion from your office,” the groups wrote in the letter. 

"We believe that the current law, under any interpretation, represents poor public policy,” said Kayla Griffin, Ohio State Director for All Voting is Local. “It should be amended to remove the ban on collaboration or repealed entirely to avoid any situations that could hinder voter education and the work of elections officials.”

“What is clear is that this law has created confusion for local election officials who are simply trying to do their jobs and conduct activities that are critical to successful and inclusive democratic practices in Ohio,” said Danielle Lang, Senior Director for Voting Rights at Campaign Legal Center. “The legislature, in a bipartisan fashion, must amend or repeal this ban and allow these activities to continue. For the sake of all Ohio voters.”

Background: On its face, Revised Code § 3501.054 purports to bar any public official responsible for administering or conducting an election from collaborating with any nongovernmental entity on activities related to voter registration, education, poll worker recruitment, or similar election-related activities.

At Campaign Legal Center, we are advancing democracy through law. Learn more about our work.

Eric Greitens, the former Governor of Missouri now running for U.S. Senate, illegally spent more than $100,000 from his gubernatorial campaign amid efforts to launch his Senate campaign — violating a consent order between his gubernatorial campaign and the Missouri ethics commission.

Washington, D.C. - Today, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission alleging that Eric Greitens’s gubernatorial campaign committee, Greitens for Missouri, violated state campaign finance law. By doing so, Greitens for Missouri also violated a February 2020 consent decree with the Commission in which it agreed to not commit further campaign finance violations for two years.

This action follows an October 28th complaint from CLC with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Greitens violated federal campaign finance law by illegally spending Missouri state campaign funds on his run for U.S. Senate. However, by failing to properly report those transactions on reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, Greitens for Missouri also violated state campaign finance law, as well as the 2020 consent order with the Commission.

“It violated both state and federal law for Greitens to spend $100,000 in gubernatorial campaign funds on his U.S. Senate race without proper disclosure,” said Brendan Fischer, director of federal reform for Campaign Legal Center. “Missouri voters have a right to know where the money being spent to influence their votes is coming from.”

Under Missouri law, a state-level committee must file periodic reports that disclose the date and amount of all contributions to other committees, including those controlled by the same candidate. By spending money on Greitens’ U.S. Senate race, Greitens’ gubernatorial campaign made contributions to Greitens for U.S. Senate but violated Missouri law by failing to disclose those donations.

If the Commission finds probable cause to believe that Greitens for Missouri has violated Missouri campaign finance law, then pursuant to a 2020 Consent Order between the Commission and the committee, Greitens for Missouri may be required to pay the remaining $140,087 fine associated with its prior violations.

Like all Americans, Missouri voters have a right to a political process that is both fair and transparent — by illegally transferring funds and misstating their source, Mr. Greitens has taken steps to ensure it is neither. Real transparency about who is spending on elections means more government accountability and less political corruption. The Missouri Ethics Commission needs to take action against Eric Greitens and his campaigns for this blatantly illegal spending.  

At Campaign Legal Center, we are advancing democracy through law. Learn more about our work.