US activists who helped flip Georgia call for more progressive state policies

After Ossoff and Warnock wins, organizers fight for voting rights, criminal justice reform and more on state and local level

On Wednesday, 6 January, Georgia Democrats Jon Ossoff and the Rev Raphael Warnock clinched two Senate seats, bringing the US Senate to a 50-50 split with a Democratic majority once the Biden administration begins. This historic win was due in large part to the work of Black and brown organizers across the state, who spent weeks canvassing Georgia and helping people register to vote, which was often complicated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The election of Jon Ossoff and Rafael Warnock to Congress has a huge potential for new and progressive federal policy that would affect the country as a whole. However, this win has less sway on local laws. This is where many organizers in Georgia see their work turning to in the coming years.