President Joe Biden’s State of the Union remarks on Gaza weren’t enough to persuade some of his former supporters in Georgia to end their protest vote campaign against him ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Interfaith organizers launched their “Leave It Blank” initiative earlier this week. They’re asking Democratic primary voters who want a permanent stop […]
Chauncey Alcorn
Chauncey Alcorn is Capital B Atlanta's state and local politics reporter.
Posted inState Politics
Legislation Addressing Sky-High Rent Prices Stalls — Again
Black people across Georgia are desperate for rent relief, but state lawmakers don’t appear poised to pass legislation to directly address the problem. Only one bill specifically addressing residential rent prices or homelessness secured passage in at least one legislative chamber by Thursday night as the Gold Dome’s fabled Crossover Day came and went. Crossover […]
Posted inVoting
Proposed Law Would End Voting Ban for Felony Convictions in Georgia
Voting rights and criminal justice reform advocates are rallying support behind a proposed state law aimed at eliminating a 147-year-old provision of the Georgia constitution that experts say was created to limit Black people’s access to the ballot box. The measure known as SB 179 and a companion resolution are the latest attempt by Georgia […]
Posted inNews
Atlanta Black And Jewish Faith Leaders Divided Over Calls for Gaza Ceasefire
Dozens of Black clergy members participated in an interfaith luncheon on Thursday in the basement of First Iconium Baptist Church in East Atlanta. In attendance were faith leaders from various Christian denominations, as well as Muslims. Notably, there was scant representation of the third Abrahamic religion. The goal of the gathering was to thank the […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Reparations
Black Lawmakers Make Their Case for Reparations in Georgia
Leaders of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus want their state to become the latest to launch a reparations study commission — and they’re not waiting around for the party in power at the Capitol to call for a hearing on the issue. The GLBC will host a panel discussion with a group of reparations experts […]
Posted inUncategorized
City Council OK’s Referendum Law. For Some, There’s Still a Problem.
Atlanta lawmakers approved an ordinance on Monday outlining how citizen-driven ballot referendum petitions must be processed moving forward. But voting rights advocates say they’re disappointed in the new law’s signature verification requirement, which they believe could circumvent the will of voters in a city known for Black civil rights leaders who were champions of voting […]
Posted inState Politics
Georgia Lawmaker’s Bill Would Bar Trump from 2024 Ballot
The latest effort to keep Donald Trump’s name off the 2024 presidential ballot comes in the form of a proposed Georgia law backed by Democrats that would bar anyone who’s been involved in a U.S. insurrection from running for office in the state. State Rep. Derrick Jackson, D-Tyrone, introduced HB 1159, known as the Oath […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
Black Lawmakers Pushing for Increase in Funds for Poor K-12th Students
Georgia Legislative Black Caucus members are supporting a bill that would increase public education funding for kindergarten through 12th-grade students living below the poverty line throughout the state. If enacted, advocates say HB 668, aka the Georgia Educational Opportunity Act, would amend Georgia’s Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula to include a $1,500 per-pupil weighted […]
Posted inCop City
Lawmakers Table Ballot Referendum Ordinance, Angering Cop City Vote Backers
An anticipated Atlanta City Council vote on a ballot referendum ordinance backed by Stop Cop City activists was postponed on Monday after municipal attorneys raised concerns about whether the measure violates existing state law. The original legislation introduced by Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari on Jan. 8 would codify a process for Atlanta residents […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Black Atlanta Wants Rent Control. Will State Lawmakers Help Them Get It?
Advocates pushing for Georgia lawmakers to lift a decades-old, statewide ban on rent control face an uphill battle in the current 40-day legislative session, which started last Monday. “I don’t see that happening,” state Sen. Gloria Butler, a Democrat representing Stone Mountain, told Capital B Atlanta in December. “I’m being realistic because these are real […]
