"Tosuppress,fearandintimidateus[blackvoters].Whatarethey[theylawmakers]afraidof?Letpeopleexercisetheirrighttovotetheirchoice,"saidThomasFowler,astateresidentandvoter.
Butstudiessuggestadecade-oldvoterIDlawinGeorgiahashadlittleimpactonsuppressingthevote.
"OneoftheironiesofthevoteridentificationlawhereinGeorgiaisthatithasnothadanadverseeffectonAfricanAmericanvoterturnout.So,infact,AfricanAmericanturnouthasactuallyincreasedinGeorgiasincethepassageofthevoterIDlaws,"Gillespiesaid.
ProponentsofthestrictvoterIDrequirementssaytheyaredesignedtoeliminatewidespreadvotingfraud.Butcriticscontendthere'snoevidenceofwidespreadfraud.