Within months of the Democrats’ victory in the US presidential election, Republicans are trying to make major changes to electoral laws. Choice of new measures: Postal voting and early voting over the weekend will be limited and the number of ballot boxes will be reduced. All programs have one thing in common: they mainly affect the black voter.

“Shameless racism,” Iconium Baptist Church pastor Timothy McDonald calls new electoral laws. His church is located in Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia, which went to the Democrats in November. There, too, Republicans are trying to fix election laws.

The pastor organizes events on Sundays before elections Souls for polls, All participants will vote together after the service. Thanks to this event, he continues to reach 100 percent of the vote among his church staff. If Americans are no longer allowed to vote on Sundays, that’s it Souls for polls Can’t continue anymore.

Not seen since the 50s

But McDonald explains that being unable to vote on Sundays makes it more difficult for black voters to vote. “They need to identify to vote by mail, something that many African Americans do not have and you have to pay for. In addition, they want to reduce the number of ballot boxes in black areas. They encourage it. They know it, so they want to implement it. This is pure discrimination and blatant racism.”

The new bills come after Trump’s repeated unsubstantiated allegations of “widespread voter fraud” in the election. “This bill is designed to restore the confidence of our constituents,” said Barry Fleming, a representative who introduced the bill in Georgia.

But according to McDonald, there is no connection between the restoration of trust and the law. “We have a history of repressing voters in the United States, especially in the South, especially African Americans. They are doing everything they can to prevent such an uprising. We have never seen laws like this, this repressive system, the 1950s.”

Candies in a jar

McDonald’s father took him to a polling station when he was a boy to show how difficult it is to vote. “Before my father voted, he had to guess how many candies were in a jar. These were tests used only for African Americans.”

McDonald says Republicans are now trying to gain power by “suppressing our vote.” “We are going to use our people, they will vote, we will win. Despite the obvious racism, we have to show that we can beat them in their own game.”

See a report by reporter Lucas Walkmeister in Georgia here: