When the Georgia Supreme Court upheld a 2022 Camden County referendum that grounded plans for a controversial spaceport, several justices warned it could pave the way for a series of special ballot initiatives that “thwart the will of a fatigued majority” if lawmakers don’t intervene.
It’s still unclear whether the Legislature will take any action. But a separate contentious and complicated quest for a referendum on Atlanta’s $90 million public safety training center has raised new questions about whether state lawmakers should restrict those sorts of ballot questions.
Judging by the results of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s latest poll, limiting referendums would be unpopular. Some 80% of registered voters say they approve of local laws that allow them to “challenge government decisions if they can meet the high bar for getting them on the ballot.”
Support for referendums cuts across every demographic, socioeconomic, racial and ideological bloc surveyed in the poll conducted by the University of Georgia’s School of Policy and International Affairs. Only 10% say they disapprove of the provision in Georgia law.
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Recently, a coalition of voting rights groups complained to Vice President Kamala Harris about the city of Atlanta’s handling of the public safety training center ballot petition.
Our colleague Riley Bunch reported that the organizations requested a meeting with Harris to discuss the issue, saying Atlanta’s mayor and elected officials aren’t “living up to the city’s civil and voting rights history.”
The letter was delivered shortly before Harris met with some of those same voting rights groups in Atlanta earlier this month to highlight her and President Joe Biden’s work to pass federal elections laws. A source tells us the vice president’s office acknowledged receiving the letter, although she didn’t talk about it publicly.
The mayor’s office did not respond to Bunch’s request for comment on the letter or say whether Dickens spoke with the vice president regarding the training center.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
RANKED CHOICE REJECTED. Georgia lawmakers are discussing new ways to eliminate election runoffs. But Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has put the kibosh on replacing the four-week overtime with a “ranked choice” system.
Jones, R-Jackson, and state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, back Senate Bill 335, which would ban ranked-choice voting in Georgia. Jones said it only causes “confusion and fatigue” among voters and could lead to more disqualified ballots.
Under that system, voters would fill out their ballots by choosing their second-choice candidate along with their top pick. Then, if a voter’s first choice doesn’t finish among the top-two candidates, the vote for the second-choice candidate would be counted, avoiding the need for another election.
Almost every other state settles races on Election Day, with the top vote-getter winning even if he or she falls short of a majority, or 50% plus one vote.
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Credit: Casey Sykes for the AJC
Credit: Casey Sykes for the AJC
UNDER THE GOLD DOME:
- The House and Senate appropriations committees continue to hold budget hearings. Floor action resumes Jan. 22.
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Credit: Olivia Bowdoin/AJC
Credit: Olivia Bowdoin/AJC
PRE-K CASH. Speaking of appropriators in the General Assembly, the top-two state House leaders are calling for an increase in lottery money to go to pre-K classrooms.
The AJC’s Ty Tagami reports that House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, and Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, are pushing for $100 million to go to the littlest learners. The funding would create more spots for children to attend pre-K, increase pay for pre-K teachers, and bump up money for classroom supplies.
Sourcing the money from the Georgia Lottery would let lawmakers boost the popular program without impacting the state’s annual budget.
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LISTEN UP. The AJC’s Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell were in Iowa when former President Donald Trump scored a 30-point victory over his closest rivals Monday night in the Iowa Caucuses. They called into the “Politically Georgia” radio show Tuesday from the Hawkeye State to discuss it.
Also, the AJC’s Tamar Hallerman joined the show to update listeners on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ response to the allegations of an improper relationship between her and a special prosecutor in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies.
Catch up on that episode at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. And listen to Wednesday’s show live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.
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Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
RFK’S MLK WIRETAP. Robert Kennedy, Jr. was in Atlanta over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend stumping for his independent bid for president.
But an interview he gave to Politico the same day also made headlines. In it, the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy defended his father’s decision to allow the FBI to wiretap Martin Luther King, Jr. and other Black activists at the height of the Civil Rights era.
From Politico:
“There was good reason for them doing that at the time," Kennedy said, “because J. Edgar Hoover was out to destroy Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement and Hoover said to them that Martin Luther King's chief was a communist.
“My father gave permission to Hoover to wiretap them so he could prove that his suspicions about King were either right or wrong," he continued. “I think, politically, they had to do it."
Politico notes that the surveillance of King and other civil rights leaders at the time is now widely condemned.
The response to Kennedy’s comments, which he made the day before the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, has not been positive. An official with the American Civil Liberties Union said, “No amount of historical revisionism can wash out the stain of that shameful attempt to undermine the Civil Rights Movement.”
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
COUNTDOWN TO SHUTDOWN. Although the U.S. House canceled votes on Tuesday after snowfall brought much of Washington to a halt, the Senate braved the cold so that members could take a crucial procedural vote on government funding legislation.
The measure passed in bipartisan fashion, getting the ball rolling on stopgap spending that could help avoid, or at least put a quick end to, a partial shutdown scheduled to begin on Friday.
The vote was 68-13, with a baker’s dozen of conservative lawmakers opposing the measure. Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats, voted yes.
If every senator cooperates, final passage on the continuing resolution could come as early as Thursday. But that doesn’t give the House much time to vote on the measure ahead of the midnight Friday deadline.
Still, the effects of a shutdown would be minimal if there is just a weekend or even a few business days of lapsed funding.
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Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
VALENTINES FOR HEROES. For the third straight year, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is soliciting Valentine’s Day well-wishes for first responders from constituents of his Coastal Georgia district.
Carter, R-St. Simons Island, will deliver the “Friends of the First” valentine cards personally to firefighters, EMTs and police officers “as a token of the community’s love and appreciation for their sacrifices and contributions to public safety.”
First Congressional District residents — as well as other Georgians — can mail or drop off valentines to Carter’s office at 6602 Abercorn Street, Suite 105B, Savannah, GA, 31405. Address the cards with “ATTN: Friends of the First.” The deadline is Feb. 7.
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Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden meets with congressional leaders to discuss his request for emergency aid to Israel and Ukraine.
- The House votes on legislation condemning President Joe Biden’s border policies.
- The Senate is in session but has no votes scheduled.
- U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, participates in a roundtable discussion with union members, including Delta Airlines employees.
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Credit: Vino Wong/AJC
Credit: Vino Wong/AJC
FARM LOANS. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency hosts a pair of sessions today to help farmers learn about federal loan programs. U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, is helping publicize these events, which are happening in his south Georgia district. Farm Service Agency state director Arthur Tripp Jr. will be in attendance at both.
The first session will be held at 10 a.m. at the Tift County USDA Service Center in Tifton. A second event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Terrell County USDA Service Center in Dawson. To RSVP or for more information, residents can email GAOutreach@usda.gov.
The USDA recently launched a web-based farm loan application.
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Credit: Markus Schreiber/AP
Credit: Markus Schreiber/AP
‘THE GEORGIA WAY.’ Gov. Brian Kemp is back in the Swiss Alps for the World Economic Forum to pitch the world’s business chiefs and political power brokers on Georgia as an innovation center. He’ll host a low-key reception for dozens of executives today and participate in a panel discussion focused on electric vehicles later this week.
“It’s really about the Georgia way. We let the market work, then go after innovative companies,” Kemp told Politically Georgia’s Greg Bluestein in an interview Tuesday.
Kemp is one of the only GOP officials at the weeklong event, which many Republicans views as a symbol of out-of-touch elitism.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. The only bad thing about pets is the fact that their lives are always too short. So this is an in memoriam item for Coco Hughes, the beloved feral kitten adopted by a golden retriever and his people, Lee and Amy Hughes. Coco grew up to be as close to a dog as a cat can get.
A reliable source tells us that after being bottle fed by her people and groomed by her dog, Coco’s favorite pastimes included shooting pool, playing fetch and commuting weekly from Savannah to Atlanta during the legislative session. Coco passed away recently after a seizure, but she leaves behind a family grateful for “the best darn cat-dog the world has ever known.” Rest in peace, Coco.
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.
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AS ALWAYS, Politically Georgia readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.
