Woodall Issues Statement on Justice Department's Final Approval of Georgia's Voter Identification System

Press Release

This week, the U.S. Department of Justice gave final approval to Georgia's voter identification system. With this approval, all Georgia voters must now present verification of valid U.S. citizenship if required before being allowed to vote. In response, Rob Woodall--Republican candidate for U.S. Congress from the Seventh District of Georgia--issued the following statement:

"I am pleased that the Justice Department has recognized the importance of a secure elections process in the state of Georgia. I applaud Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp's perseverance on this important issue. He has cleared yet another hurdle for ensuring and protecting the rights of voters in our state."

"If you want to vote in this country you should be able to prove that you are who you say that you are. If you are not a legal United States citizen then in no way, shape or form should you be allowed to vote for America's political leaders. The Justice Department is only involved in this matter because Georgia falls under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a section that requires states with a history of racial discrimination in 1965 to clear any changes in their elections process through the Justice Department prior to implementation. While I understand the underlying sentiment of this provision, over the past 45 years Georgia has earned the right to operate on the same playing field as the rest of the country when establishing its voting requirements. The Federal government has no legitimate cause to regulate one state differently from another. If elected to Congress I will work to end the discriminatory effect of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act by moving to apply that provision either to all of the states or to no states at all. There is more that unites this country than divides it, and I will be working every day to ensure that America's best days are ahead."

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