Politics

‘I’m Glad To Deal With It’: Gov. Kemp Fends Off Corporate Criticism Of Georgia’s Sweeping Voting Law Changes

(Screenshot via CNBC)

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Republican Gov. Brian Kemp dismissed the corporate criticism about Georgia’s new sweeping election law on Wednesday.

Kemp appeared on CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” where he fended off the recent backlash from major companies, including Coca-Cola, Delta, Microsoft and Citibank. “I’m glad to deal with it,” the governor said about the cacophony of corporate criticism.

“If they want to have a debate about the merits and the facts of the bill, then we should do that,” Kemp said. “I would encourage these CEOs to look at other states that they’re doing business in and compare what the real facts are to Georgia.” (RELATED: Georgia’s New Voting Law — Myths And Facts)

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“You just said that we are taking away drop boxes. There were counties last year that didn’t even have a drop box, ’cause it never appeared in the law before,” Kemp said, responding to a criticism of the new bill. “This legislation mandates that every county have at least one drop box.”

Additionally, the governor rebutted the assertion that voters waiting in line to cast a ballot cannot be provided with food and water under the new bill, a measure that many claim was meant to suppress minority voters.

“That is not true. People can serve and hand out bottles of water and food, as long as they are outside the 150-foot boundary from polling locations,” Kemp said. This will presumably protect voters from being “harassed, intimidated or electioneered.”

Kemp also appeared Thursday on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” where he contrasted the opportunities for election in Georgia with those in New York and New Jersey. Unlike in New York, Georgians do not need “an excuse to vote absentee,” Kemp said. Also, Georgia’s voters have 17 days of early voting access, compared to New Jersey where there are nine days.

“We’re not going to back down when we have a bill that expands the opportunity for people to vote on the weekends in Georgia,” Kemp said.