Local governments across Georgia can no longer accept outside funding to pay for elections operations. A bill banning “Zuckerbucks” became law Wednesday when Gov. Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 222 in a special ceremony which included former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Chairwoman and founder of Greater Georgia – a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters.
“Governor Kemp took the final step to ensure that elections in the state of Georgia are never bought and paid for by special interests,” said Loeffler. “I am deeply grateful to the Governor for signing SB 222 into law, and to all our conservative lawmakers who took immediate action to stop partisan influence in our elections when Greater Georgia blew the whistle on it earlier this year.
“This is a tremendous win not only for our organization but for every Georgia voter – and we will never stop fighting to hold bad actors accountable, to deliver free and fair elections in the state of Georgia,” Loeffler added.
Greater Georgia and Loeffler played a critical role in SB 222, which was sponsored by Sen. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, in the Senate and carried by Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, in the House. The bill was initially introduced in the Georgia General Assembly in February after Loeffler and Greater Georgia blew the whistle on DeKalb County when the DeKalb Board of Elections announced it would accept $2 million in grant money from the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence. The Alliance is backed by the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which in 2020 partnered with Mark Zuckerberg to funnel $45 million into boards of election in Georgia – primarily in blue counties.
Loeffler claimed that Zuckerberg continued to fund that latest effort, “which brings external influence to local election operations despite existing laws banning the practice in Georgia.”
In 2021, Georgia lawmakers passed the Georgia Election Integrity Act (SB 202) which banned local election officials from accepting outside money. But, Loeffler said, information from DeKalb County Board of Elections Chair Dele Lowman Smith, showed that the county found a way to skirt state law.
Greater Georgia works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities and protect election integrity.
