NFL’s Roger Goodell responds to Georgia voter law in internal memo, says league continues work to strengthen voters’ rights

In an email to NFL employees on Monday, commissioner Roger Goodell vowed that the league would continue initiatives to strengthen voters' rights. The memo came in response to the state of Georgia’s controversial "Election Integrity Act."

Major League Baseball responded to the new legislation by pulling this year's All-Star Game out of Atlanta.

USA TODAY Sports obtained a copy of the internal memo Monday. In it, Goodell said a number of NFL employees had asked about the league’s stance on the new voting laws passed in Georgia and also under consideration in other states.

Goodell wrote, “We know that the right to vote is fundamental and at the core of our democracy. We will always support that right, and the NFL has done so in a comprehensive and thoughtful way. Together with our players, and so many of you, the NFL and its 32 clubs showed true leadership through our 'NFL Votes' initiative. This program addressed voting in a non-partisan and meaningful way, through voter education, voter registration and direct support of voting across the country.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (Photo: Perry Knotts, Handout Photo-USA TODAY Sports)

While further outlining the league’s efforts leading up to the 2020 elections, Goodell pointed out that 16 NFL stadiums served as voting sites, and many teams supported election workers and voters by providing personal protective equipment, meals and transportation.

Goodell said the NFL would continue its "NFL Votes" and "Inspire Change" initiatives.

The commissioner also shared the statement that Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank issued last week in response to the new Georgia voting law, and he praised Blank’s stance.

Blank, in his statement said, “We should be working to make voting easier, not harder, for every eligible citizen,” and pledged that his team, other businesses and his family foundation would continue to work to “advance voting access for the citizens of Georgia and across the nation.”

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