Georgia Nonpartisan, Nonprofit Group Aims to Register Voters

Submitted by The New Georgia Project

The New Georgia Project is a new effort to register eligible individuals to vote. The nonpartisan group is a project of the nonprofit organization Third Sector Development, a 501(c)(3) organization founded and led by Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams.

Georgians are not fully represented at the polls. Specifically, minority populations are much less likely to be registered to vote and according to analysis based on the 2012 Census reports, there are more than 800,000 African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans who are not registered to vote in Georgia. The New Georgia Project is focused on reaching those underrepresented communities.

“The unregistered voting population, particularly from underserved communities, is not an issue for tomorrow – it is at a critical point today,” shared Representative Stacey Abrams, CEO of the organization. “The New Georgia Project is committed to expanding the number of registered voters and increasing access to the polls.”

Abrams, the Georgia House Minority Leader, credits hard working parents with instilling in her a duty to serve and a specific obligation to expand access to the ballot. She founded Third Sector Development during law school to provide support to disadvantaged communities, and the nonprofit has been operating in the south for more than 15 years.

Previous projects include relief efforts post-Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and aiding groups delivering prison ministry services. This year, the New Georgia Project, a program of Third Sector Development, is registering voters to civically engage the underserved community.

“The New Georgia Project is tackling an immensely important issue across our state,” said Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. “Voter registration is the key to sharing thoughts and opinions that shape our community and state today and for generations to come.”

Georgia law not only allows but encourages private entities to register voters to improve the state’s low registration rates. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has stated, “We need [the help of private entities] to reach out to the Georgians who are not yet registered. With [the assistance of private entities], we can work towards ensuring that Georgia becomes a leader in voter participation.”

The goal of the New Georgia Project is to increase voter registration and engagement among the most disadvantaged and underserved groups. The New Georgia Project employs a team of professionals that engage in a formalized voter registration process to ensure all outreach activities remain safe, effective, and secure. The New Georgia Project is in touch with the Secretary of State’s office and complies with all state and federal laws.