In what will come as a rude shock to many, a United States Federal judge has rejected to block a portion of Georgia’s controversial election law that bars handing out snacks and drinks to voters waiting in line within a certain distance of a polling place.
The US District Judge J.P. Boulee outrightly declined a bid for a preliminary injunction by liberal advocacy groups, who argued the ban infringed on their right to free speech.
In view of the development, activists will be prohibited from distributing food and drinks within 150 feet of a polling place or within 25 feet of any person in line during this year’s general election.
According to the ruling, the 25-foot buffer around individuals in line was likely unconstitutional because it was not tied to a fixed location, unlike the 150-foot zone around a polling place. The judge, however, agreed with state officials who argued that it was too close to Election Day to change the law, as well as that implementing different rules for the Nov. 8 vote would only cause confusion among poll workers and voters.
Reports have it that supporters of the restriction argue that it prevents voters from being influenced by operatives offering free food or water at polling places.
It’s imperative to note that Georgia’s Election Integrity Act was decried by Democrats after its passage last year, with prominent Democrats pressing corporations to boycott the Peach State in response.
Recall that in protest of the law, Major League Baseball pulled its 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta, moving the game to Denver.
In another setback, Hollywood star Will Smith announced that because of the law, his production company would no longer film the antebellum drama “Emancipation” in the state.
Also, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Merck, UPS, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and Facebook were among the myriad companies that expressed concerns over voter suppression in the wake of the law’s passage.
More so, the law was also distorted by none other than President Joe Biden, who claimed in March 2021 that it “ends voting hours early” and described it in May last year as “Jim Crow in the 21st century.”
