SAVANNAH, Ga. () – Demonstrators in coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry participated in the nationwide “Good Trouble Lives On” protests Thursday.
Events were held in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island.
“We’re experiencing a daily erosion of our freedoms, and the only option left is to take to the streets and make our voices heard,” stated Marcia, a protester from Bluffton.
The main focus of Thursday’s rallies was voting rights, with several local organizations offering voting information and services.
“Our chapter is actively verifying voter status and assisting individuals in registering if they haven’t done so yet. Additionally, we’re distributing information regarding the upcoming elections,” explained Me’kia Davis, Chapter President of the Savannah Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Zeta Sorority.
Some organizers and leaders spoke out directly against what they described as voter suppression tactics.
“Our primary focus is on urging Senators Graham and Scott to oppose the SAVE Act, as it stands to disenfranchise numerous registered voters, potentially making their registrations invalid,” noted Rita Conrad, Vice Chair of Lowcountry Indivisible.
The “SAVE Act” would require proof of U.S. Citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Acceptable documents would include a passport, REAL ID, or a government-issued ID paired with a birth certificate.
“There’s some bad things going on in this country. We’re losing our constitutional rights, and sometimes, you have to stand up and be the good trouble,” Randy Zurcher, who is running on the Democratic ticket to represent Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, said.
However, many Republicans support and voted for the “SAVE Act,” which passed in the House of Representatives in April.
“Only U.S. Citizens should vote and decide U.S. Elections. It’s already in federal law, but there’s no mechanism currently to ensure that law is always followed, and this measure, the SAVE Act, will make sure that is always true,” Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Rep. Mike Johnson said in April when the legislation first passed.
