Nothing could’ve prepared us for this election season.
We went into the Voting Barriers and Bridges Elections Project determined to provide space and platform for residents who lived in the 20 voting precincts with the lowest voter turnout in metro Atlanta. We spoke to more than 200 residents, and along the way we heard some sentiments we could expect. We heard folks say they were fed up with performative politics, exhausted with their voices being unheard and, in some cases, uninformed about local candidates.
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What we couldn’t expect is the jarring twists and turns of the presidential race, the legal, across-party-line battles over how to fairly conduct elections in Georgia and various other strange occurrences this political cycle. The unexpected didn’t deter us.
We went back out to communities and had candid conversations with residents after the news broke about Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic presidential run. We kept reporting and sharing news updates as the state election board and its various mandates to scrutinize votes faced legal opposition and riled officials on both sides.
Our nine Election Fellows and editorial team did not waver in pursuing our commitment to connecting residents with comprehensive voting resources, meaningful, community-centered coverage on the civic process, and rare analysis of national and local candidates.
Our efforts allowed us to meet community members like Alma Lott, who walked more than 2 miles to ensure her ballot was cast for the Georgia primary, in the heat of May 2024. We met a fiery South Fulton woman named Shirley Harris who has valiantly called local Senate and Congress offices for years to advocate and demand answers for her community and fellow citizens.
We also witnessed the soul-stirring words of Rev. Matthew V. Johnson Jr., who reminded us that the fight for equal, accessible elections continues, as he proclaimed “We must continue to violate any law that stands in the way of God’s law” in response to Senate Bill 202.
With each conversation, interview, and story, we got closer to our goal. After the voting, we have heard and felt the sense of despair and uncertainty in conversations with loved ones, social media exchanges, and overheard barbershop banter. Now, we confront yet another unexpected outcome that offers hope.
Of the 20 precincts regarded as the lowest voter precincts in metro Atlanta, 19 saw increased turnout in this year’s general election compared to 2020. That trend also showed itself in Fulton County, with more than 70 percent of all registered voters casting ballots, compared to about 65 percent in 2020, according to Georgia Secretary of State records.
There’s more to any story than the numbers or the outcome. We know long after the election we still have questions to answer and political decisions that impact our communities. We hope you’ll keep reading as we explore unique post-election stories, and continue doing journalism for Atlantans, with Atlantans.
Canopy Atlanta Reader: Mariann Martin
