Red and Blue Splotches on a Solid Pink State

After the recent election, the New York Times showed Georgia as a solid
pink state, meaning it was held by the Republicans, with no gains by either
party. As the Times was only concerned with the major offices, the governors,
senators, and members of congress, this was true from their viewpoint. But as
the people who live in the state find their lives affected by holders of all the
offices, it wasn't exactly true.

Republican Governor Sonny Perdue was re-elected, the voters also elected
the state's first Republican lieutenant governor, and, for the first time, a
Republican received the majority of votes cast in Chattooga County in a
race for state senator, all a cause for rejoicing by the local Republican Party.

There was another race that was very important in this small area of Georgia,
and should be important to the entire country.

About two years ago, just before the last election, the local offices of State
Court Judge and Solicitor General became vacant. The local newspaper
published the names of candidates for the offices, which are non-partisan, but
the two most well-known candidates were both Democrats, and both had a
good chance of winning. Governor Perdue stepped in and, according to a law
which allows him to do so, appointed two Republicans to fill the vacancies,
thereby taking the decision away from the voters.

The Perdue appointees, both decent, competent men, had to run for re-
election this year, and both lost- to two Democrats, including one of those
who had tried to be a candidate two years ago. In the interim he had been
convicted of Driving Under the Influence, and the State Court Judge he
defeated had been instrumental in setting up a drug court, intended to help
first offenders of drug and alcohol abuse get into rehabilitation programs.
Even with this blot on his record, and even though there were more votes
for Republicans than Democrats in most of the other contests, he and the
other Democrat won.

There were constant reminders that elections for these two offices were
non-partisan. But Perdue had made them partisan by appointing Republicans.
Some of the Republicans in the county voted Democrat, and voted in a judge
with a DUI conviction, because that was the only way to show Perdue that it
was wrong to take away the people's right to vote.

The Supreme Court's overturning the Georgia law requiring that voters present
a driver's license in order to vote was also a people's victory. This smacked of
the old poll tax which was intended to keep Blacks from voting, but which also
kept many poor whites away from the polls. Those who make Georgia's laws
did not seem to care that many poor and elderly people do not drive. Now the
some 17 documents that can be presented as proof of a voter's identity include
rent receipts, utility bills, birth certificates. It's a shame that it still takes a fight
through the courts to preserve the right of everyone to vote.