Fix our elections before November. We demand our votes be counted!

I recently relocated to Georgia from Florida to work as the Georgia State Director for Planned Parenthood Southeast. In that role, I advocate for reproductive health and rights and help organize and mobilize voters, and fight for free and fair elections — because when voting rights are under attack, all of our rights are at risk. But despite the fact that I spend much of my time turning out voters, I was unable to vote in the Georgia primary.

I sent in my voter registration weeks before the deadline, followed up multiple times by phone, and my mom even called on my behalf while I was at work to ensure my registration was processed. But come election day, I was not registered. Multiple county officials told me on the phone they were “still processing” all the voter registrations, but by June 9, an untold number of people, including me, were still unable to vote in the election.

There were other problems too - voting machines didn't work, lines were up to eight hours long, and some mail-in ballots never appeared or were mailed out unusable.

Black voters' ability to vote was severely obstructed by Georgia's dysfunctional election system, at the same moment that Black people and allies are taking to the streets in historic protests. We do not have the power to choose elected officials who will fight for the changes we need to defend Black lives unless we have the power to vote.

Georgia elected officials must not allow this to happen again in five short months for the general election in November. Secretary of State Raffensperger has proven that he cannot be trusted to run a safe and fair election. We need more funding and support for all county boards of elections, expansion of voting by mail, and adequate training for poll workers. It is time to hold Secretary of State Raffensperger accountable because Georgians deserve better!