Candidate Scorecard: Georgia Senate District 48

Additional Scoring Context

Questionnaire:

We sent the following questionnaire to both campaigns but only received a response from Ashwin Ramaswami.

Healthcare Access

Georgia ranks among the lowest in Medicaid coverage and has not yet fully expanded

Medicaid. How will you advocate for expanding Medicaid and ensuring that disabled

Georgians have access to the healthcare services they need, including long-term

supports and services?

What is your position on increasing funding for Home and Community-Based Services

(HCBS) to allow disabled people to live independently in their communities rather than in

institutions?

Employment and Economic Justice

Georgia has not eliminated subminimum wage for disabled Georgians, and the disability

community has high rates of unemployment and underemployment. Will you commit to

supporting legislation that bans subminimum wage for disabled people, and how will you

promote equitable employment opportunities for all disabled Georgians?

Education

How do you plan to improve access to inclusive public school education for disabled

students in Georgia, and what will you do to ensure that schools are providing adequate

accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?

Criminalization

Disabled people, especially those with mental health conditions, are disproportionately

incarcerated in Georgia. What specific policies will you support to reform and transform

the criminal justice system, address gaps in mental health care, combat the school-to-

prison pipeline, and reduce the incarceration of disabled people, especially disabled

BIPOC?

Affordable, Accessible Housing

Georgia faces a shortage of affordable, accessible housing for disabled people, and

housing discrimination disproportionately impacts the disability community. What policies

will you support to increase the availability of affordable and accessible housing and

ensure that disabled Georgians fair have access to homes that meet their needs?

Voting Rights and Civic Engagement

Voting in Georgia remains difficult for many disabled people due to inaccessible polling

places, lack of accommodations, lack of transportation, and restrictive voting laws. How

will you work to ensure that all disabled Georgians can exercise their right to vote?

Will you support policies that expand access to absentee voting, accessible voting

technology, and curbside voting, among others, to increase democratic participation for

disabled people?

Transportation and Infrastructure

How do you plan to advocate for state funding for accessible public transportation and

other infrastructure projects, such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and public buildings, that

meet the needs of the disability community?

Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

Recent natural disasters and public health emergencies, like the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic, have highlighted the vulnerability of disabled folks. How will you ensure that

emergency preparedness, communication systems, and disaster response plans in

Georgia include the disability community, especially people who are physically disabled,

Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have a cognitive disability, and are designed with their

specific needs in mind?

Examples of Issues that Impacted Candidates’ Scores

On voting rights and civic engagement:

• Shawn Still, who we scored an F, did not respond to the NDSR questionnaire. Public record, however, shows that Senator Still has not supported any legislation to expand voting rights. Public record also shows that Shawn Still was indicted (along with Former President Donald Trump) on charges that he sought to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

• Ashwin Ramaswami, who we scored an A, stated the following in his questionnaire response:

  • Every Georgian, regardless of their abilities, deserves equal access to the ballot box. Voting is a

    fundamental right, and it’s critical that we work to remove the barriers that make it difficult for

    disabled individuals to participate in our democracy. Here’s how I will address this:

    (1) Advocating for Accessible Polling Places: I will push for stricter enforcement of

    existing accessibility laws, ensuring that all polling locations are ADA-compliant. This

    includes accessible entrances, parking, and voting machines.

    (2) Expanding Accommodations: I will work with disability rights groups to identify

    necessary accommodations for those with different needs, such as providing ASL

    interpreters, ensuring all voting materials are in accessible formats (like Braille or large

    print), and training poll workers to assist disabled voters effectively.

    (3) Improving Transportation Access: I will advocate for expanded state funding for

    transportation services, including rideshare programs and paratransit options, to ensure

    disabled voters can easily get to polling places.

    (4) Fighting Restrictive Voting Laws: I will continue to oppose restrictive voting laws that

    disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including those with disabilities. This

    includes supporting initiatives like expanded early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots,

    and accessible drop boxes.

    (5) Promoting Remote Voting Options: I'll work to enhance the accessibility of absentee

    voting by making sure that online absentee ballot applications and mail-in voting

    processes are easy to use for those with visual, cognitive, or physical disabilities.

    Ensuring that disabled Georgians have a voice in our democracy is not just a priority; it’s a

    matter of justice and fairness. I will fight for inclusive policies to protect the voting rights of all

    citizens.