An election board in Georgia voted against a controversial proposal Friday that would have shut down seven of nine polling locations in a black-majority county, according to a report.
The Randolph County Elections Board rejected the proposal to close the precincts, ABC affiliate WSB in Atlanta reported. Critics said it would have reduced the turnout of black voters, who make up a majority of the county and many of whom would have ended up finding the remaining open precincts too remote to be accessible.
“In the United States, the right to vote is sacred,” the board said in a statement after the vote, according to WSB. “The interest and concern shown has been overwhelming, and it is an encouraging reminder that protecting the right to vote remains a fundamental American principle.”
An election consultant had proposed shutting down the locations to save the county money; he added that the precincts were not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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