Charges of Racism, Voter Suppression in Georgia Governor's Race Final Days
*By Conor White*
The race for governor in Georgia is getting ugly in its final days, with accusations of voter suppression and racism tainting the finale of what could prove to be a historic race.
If Democrat Stacey Abrams claims the seat next week, she'll become the first African American woman in history to do so. She is virtually deadlocked against Republican Brian Kemp as the two enter into the final weekend of the campaign.
Kemp ー Abrams' rival and the sitting Georgia Secretary of State ー has been accused by Abrams and various voting rights groups of attempting to suppress voters and influence the election. [An Associated Press report revealed](http://time.com/5421332/georgia-brian-kemp-secretary-of-state-53000-voters-governor/) that more than 53,000 voter registration applications are on hold with the Georgia Secretary of State for failing to meet certain strenuous application requirements. Of those suspended applications, 70 percent belong to black voters.
While they should be able to cast their ballots if they go to their polling places with a valid ID, many are not aware of that reality, explained Washington Post political reporter Eugene Scott.
"If all they've heard is that their registrations have not been approved, many of them may just stay home, and many of them, disproportionately, were more likely to vote for Stacey Abrams."
Abrams is bringing in some big names for one last push, enlisting the help of former President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey. Kemp is getting help from Vice President Mike Pence. In a race as close as this, candidates need all the endorsements they can get.
"That's where Barack Obama and people like Oprah can help out," Michael Harriot, columnist at The Root said in an interview Friday on Cheddar.
"They can help sway those undecided voters," he added.
President Trump has made his thoughts on the race known, calling Abrams "unqualified." Abrams is a Yale law school graduate, and served as Minority Leader for Georgia's General Assembly.
"It seems like the president's only qualification of what he deems 'qualifications' seems to be the color of (someone's) skin," explained Harriot.
According to Scott, whichever candidate wins will help usher in a new age in the region.
"This is a race rooted in identity politics, and conversations about what the future of the New South will look like."
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