Alan Tinsley Powell (born November 10, 1951) is an American politician who has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 1991. He was originally elected as a Democrat, but switched to a Republican in 2010, citing his conservative views.[1][2]
Alan Powell | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 14, 1991 | |
| Constituency | 13th district (1991–1993) 23rd district (1993–2005) 29th district (2005–2013) 32nd district (2013–2023) 33rd district (2023–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alan Tinsley Powell November 10, 1951 Hartwell, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (2010–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 2010) |
| Residence(s) | Hartwell, Georgia, U.S. |
Tenure
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2021) |
He supported the Election Integrity Act of 2021, a Republican-supported law to restrict voting rights in Georgia.[3] Among its many provisions, it would restrict where ballot drop boxes can be located and when they can be accessed, require photo identification for absentee voting, shift back the deadline to request an absentee ballot, limit early voting hours, and prevent anyone other than poll workers from giving food and water to voters standing in lines.[3][4] Most controversially, it would restrict early voting on Sundays, when Black churches traditionally run "Souls to the Polls" get-out-the-vote efforts.[3][5][6] Powell defended the bill, saying "Show me the suppression. There is no suppression in this bill."[3] The legislation was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature in Georgia shortly after the 2020 elections when Democrats won the two U.S. Senate seats in Georgia and Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since 1992.[3] Then-President Donald Trump and his allies made false claims of fraud in multiple states, including Georgia, after they lost the elections.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Representative Alan Powell". House.ga.gov. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
- ^ Zach Mitcham (2010-11-19). "Powell changes parties". MadisonJournalToday. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
- ^ a b c d e f Corasaniti, Nick (2021-03-25). "Georgia G.O.P. Passes Major Law to Limit Voting Amid Nationwide Push". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ Nadler, Ben; Yoganathan, Anila (1 March 2021). "Georgia House passes GOP bill rolling back voting access". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2021-03-01.
- ^ Corasaniti, Nick; Rutenberg, Jim (2021-03-06). "In Georgia, Republicans Take Aim at Role of Black Churches in Elections". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ Scott, Eugene (24 February 2021). "New Georgia legislation would curb 'souls to the polls'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2021-02-24.