Access for All? Navigating Voting Rights in GA
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Given Georgia’s unique history and current role in national conversations about voting rights, we want to elevate dialogue about solutions to help all Georgians exercise their fundamental right to vote. This year, the EPIC Conference will explore the history and future of voting rights in Georgia. It will begin with a presentation on the historic role the Georgia and Atlanta legal community has played in the voting rights movement, followed by a conversation on new tools to advocate for fair electoral districts. The conference will also feature panel discussions on challenges to exercising the right to vote, such as inaccessibility of polling places and criminal liability for line assistance, and a conversation about how someone’s status and identity may influence access to voting in Georgia. Finally, the conference will culminate in a discussion on how to best leverage our skillset as legal professionals to address some of the pressing voting rights challenges explored.
3.5 Georgia general CLE credits pending approval.
Schedule
10:15 a.m.—Check-In (Coffee/Tea Provided)
10:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Welcome, Announcements and Overview
Dean of Emory Law, Director for Center for Public Service, EPIC Conference Co-Chairs
11:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.—GA Voting Rights: A Crash Course
Speaker: Dr. Adrienne Jones (Morehouse College)
This session will feature a leading scholar delving into the complex history of voting rights in Georgia. This crash course will examine how Georgia’s unique social, historical, and political cultures have informed the voting rights movement both within the state and for the country at large.
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.—Solving for Redistricting
Speakers: Moon Duchin (MGGG Redistricting Lab) & Zach Mahafza (Southern Poverty Law Center)
This session will introduce innovative analytical frameworks for how to understand and solve for racially discriminatory redistricting efforts. Experts in these methods will demonstrate how to effectively use these interactive data tools and how to employ expert witnesses to elevate voter protection cases.
12:25 p.m. to 1:10 p.m.—Election Day Barriers
Panelists: Randy Faigin (VoteRiders), Harold Franklin (King & Spalding), Rahul Garabadu (US Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Georgia), Dom Kelly (New Disabled South)
Moderator: Shauna Dozier (Clayton County Board of Elections)
This session will address the myriad of challenges Georgians may face when attempting to successfully exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote in the upcoming election. The panel will discuss solutions to address issues such as polling locations and voter lines, transit options and accessibility, legal observing and emergency responses.
1:10 PM - 1:45 Lunch Break (Lunch Provided)
1:50 p.m. to 2:35 p.m.—Disenfranchisement’s Identity Factor
Panelists: Ann Colloton (Georgia Justice Project), Mary-Pat Hector (Rise), Courtney O’Donnell (Southern Poverty Law Center), Anar Parikh (Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta)
Moderator: Tamieka Atkins (ProGeorgia)
This session will explore how factors like race, language, neighborhood, socioeconomic status, and prior system involvement can influence access to the ballot box. The panel will discuss legal and community based solutions for improving access to voting across Georgia.
2:40 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.—Now What? A Lawyer’s Toolkit for Voting Rights Protection
Speaker: Allegra Lawrence Hardy (Lawrence & Bundy)
Moderator: Darren Hutchinson, Professor of Law and John Lewis Chair for Civil Rights and Social Justice
This discussion with a leading Georgia voting rights attorney will explore how litigation can be a tool for voter protection. It will offer valuable insights into strategies for how legal professionals can leverage their unique skill sets to address some of the challenges explored during the previous sessions.
3:25 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.—Closing Remarks
3:35 PM - 4:30 Reception with Voting Organizations Tabling (Drinks Provided)