Atlanta, GA – Across Georgia and the country, we are witnessing a coordinated rollback of democratic participation through voting restrictions, legislative maneuvering, and procedural barriers that silence everyday people. At the local level, public comment remains one of the last direct avenues for residents to exercise power. That avenue must be protected and strengthened, not constrained. In response, the Southern Center for Human Rights announces the People’s Voice partners— a group of organizations committed to protecting open and accessible public dialogue.

In Atlanta, enforcement of new unpublished rules pertaining to public comment by Council President Marci Collier Overstreet seem to discourage the public’s right to use parts of Atlanta’s code that allows community members to donate time to one another. Our original ask is simple: (1) allow people to speak in the order in which they sign up, regardless of whether they will be speaking using donated time and (2) allow people who donate time to return to their workday. After taking a closer look at the code, it is clear that Atlanta could benefit from even more change.

The People’s Voice Act expands access to public comment in Atlanta, protects free expression, and ensures that community members—especially those most impacted by policy decisions—can meaningfully participate in local government. Current public comment rules disproportionately burden working people, caregivers, and those relying on shared or donated speaking time. Reports show that residents are frequently deterred from speaking when processes are delayed, reordered, or shortened—undermining the very purpose of public comment. Individuals that wish to share their experiences with challenges they have experienced in utilizing public comment should let us know at www.schr.org/peoplesvoice.

At a time when controversial and high‑impact decisions are being made—on public safety, budgets, development, and the criminalization of unhoused residents—open and accessible public dialogue is essential to a healthy local democracy.

Since January 2026 SCHR has raised concerns about the administration of public comment to the Atlanta City Council President and Councilmembers. All correspondence is available at www.schr.org/peoplesvoice.

Organizations in support of the People’s Voice Act include Play Fair ATL, Barred Business, Black Futurist Group, Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, Legal Action Center, NewLife-Second Chance Outreach, Inc., and the Southern Center for Human Rights.