If Georgia State Senator Fran Millar was trying to make a name for himself today, he succeeded by sending a letter and posting to Facebook about his opposition to the interim DeKalb County CEO's decision to hold one of the early-voting days on a Sunday at a mall located in a predominantly-black area of DeKalb County, in the vicinity of several predominantly-black mega-churches. He wonders, in his Facebook post, whether church buses may be used to transport black church-goers to the polling site and he worries that such would offend the "accepted principle of separation of church and state."
"Now we are to have Sunday voting at South DeKalb Mall just prior to the election. Per Jim Galloway of the AJC, this location is dominated by African American shoppers and it is near several large African American mega churches such as New Birth Missionary Baptist. Galloway also points out the Democratic Party thinks this is a wonderful idea – what a surprise. I’m sure Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are delighted with this blatantly partisan move in DeKalb.
Is it possible church buses will be used to transport people directly to the mall since the poll will open when the mall opens? If this happens, so much for the accepted principle of separation of church and state."
Senator Millar and his wife are active members of the Dunwoody United Methodist Church. Back in 2012, on Sunday, January 8, just days before the Georgia legislature would go into session, Dunwoody United Methodist Church decided to nix the regular preaching & singing at both the 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. They decided that both services would be devoted to a "
Sunday morning session with your state lawmakers."
Among the six named lawmakers who would be attending, five were Republican and, of course, Senator Fran Millar, was one of the five.
Expecting an overflow crowd, the announcement said free parking would be available at the nearby Dunwoody Library.
And...compliments of the church, attendees would be...
bused to the event.