{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Barry Fleming | caption = Official portrait, 2021 | office = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | term_start = January 14, 2013 | term_end = January 9, 2024 | predecessor = Lee Anderson (redistricting) | successor = Gary Richardson | constituency = 121st district (2013–2023) <br/> 125th district (2023–2024) | term_start1 = January 13, 2003 | term_end1 = January 12, 2009 | predecessor1 = Tom Rice | successor1 = Lee Anderson | constituency1 = 79th district (2003–2005) <br/> 117th district (2005–2009) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|5|20}} | birth_place = Harlem, Georgia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | education = University of Georgia (BA, JD) | image = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives Barry Fleming.jpg }} '''Barry Fleming''' (born May{{nbsp}}20, 1965) is an American politician who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2013 to 2024. He previously served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.ga.gov/representatives/en-US/member.aspx?Member=101 |title=Representative Barry Fleming |publisher=House.ga.gov |access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/836-special-election-winner-broun-fighting-from-behind-vs-fleming |title=Special-election winner Broun fighting from behind vs. Fleming |work=The Hill|date=2007-10-31 |access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref>
In 2021, he introduced an election reform bill that would restrict voting access.<ref name="AP">{{Cite web|last1=Nadler|first1=Ben|last2=Yoganathan|first2=Anila|date=1 March 2021|title=Georgia House passes GOP bill rolling back voting access|url=https://apnews.com/article/senate-elections-bills-legislation-elections-georgia-842d9ad16a78901322f4b952f6c0d8dd|url-status=live|website=Associated Press|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301230344/https://apnews.com/article/senate-elections-bills-legislation-elections-georgia-842d9ad16a78901322f4b952f6c0d8dd |archive-date=2021-03-01 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Simms|first=Claire|date=1 March 2021|title=Georgia House approves election reform legislation|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-house-approves-election-reform-legislation|url-status=live|website=Fox 5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301235032/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-house-approves-election-reform-legislation |archive-date=2021-03-01 }}</ref> 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, and limit early voting hours.<ref name="AP"/> Most controversially, it would restrict early voting on Sundays, when Black churches traditionally run "Souls to the Polls" get-out-the-vote efforts;<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Corasaniti|first1=Nick|last2=Rutenberg|first2=Jim|date=2021-03-06|title=In Georgia, Republicans Take Aim at Role of Black Churches in Elections|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/06/us/politics/churches-black-voters-georgia.html|access-date=2021-03-07|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Scott|first=Eugene|date=24 February 2021|title=New Georgia legislation would curb 'souls to the polls'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/24/new-georgia-legislation-would-curb-souls-polls/|url-status=live|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224224834/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/24/new-georgia-legislation-would-curb-souls-polls/ |archive-date=2021-02-24 }}</ref> according to ''The Economist'', Black voter turnout is 10 percentage points higher on Sundays.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 March 2021|title=America's battle over election laws|url=https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/03/13/americas-battle-over-election-laws|url-status=live|newspaper=The Economist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311132322/https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/03/13/americas-battle-over-election-laws |archive-date=2021-03-11 }}</ref>
On March{{nbsp}}10, 2021, Hancock County commissioners voted 4{{endash}}0 to ask for Fleming’s resignation as the county's attorney because of his sponsorship of House Bill 531, which critics call a "voter suppression bill".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Hancock County commissioners ask attorney behind GOP-led election bill to resign|url=https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/hancock-county-commissioners-ask-attorney-behind-gop-election-bill-to-resign-2/93-5d459acf-b53f-4d82-bfc9-18b6e9ef1a5d|access-date=2021-03-11|website=WMAZ|date=11 March 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> The 2019 Census shows that "Hancock County's population is around 71% African-American" and 2020 election results showed Joe Biden won Hancock County with 71.7% of the vote versus 27.8% for Donald Trump.<ref name=":0" />
Georgia governor Brian Kemp appointed Fleming to serve as a superior court judge on the Columbia Judicial Circuit on December{{nbsp}}28, 2023.<ref name="ajc-niesse-dec-23">{{cite news |last1=Niesse |first1=Mark |title=Republican behind Georgia voting law appointed as judge |url=https://www.ajc.com/politics/republican-behind-georgia-voting-lawnappointed-as-judge/NA6RTBJDFNFSPH5WGSZP4BLOYE/ |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=December 28, 2023}}</ref> He was sworn in on January{{nbsp}}10, 2024.<ref name="ajc-niesse-dec-23"/>
==See also== * Republican efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 presidential election * Election Integrity Act of 2021
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ga-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Tom Rice}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 79th district|years=2003–2005}} {{s-aft|after=Fran Millar}} |- {{s-bef|before=Larry O'Neal}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 117th district|years=2005–2009}} {{s-aft|after=Lee Anderson}} |- {{s-bef|before=Henry Howard}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 121st district|years=2013–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Marcus Wiedower}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sheila Nelson}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 125th district|years=2023–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Gary Richardson}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleming, Barry}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Category:People from Columbia County, Georgia Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly