A Georgia man's data tool is being used to challenge voter registrations. It's raising many concerns

There are concerns that a new data system pushed by conservative activists is fueling mass challenges that could kick legitimate voters off the rolls.
David Sumrall, the head of the Republican Party in Georgia's Bibb County, presents his case to challenge the eligibility of nearly 800 voters at a hearing in Macon in May. (Grant Blankenship/GPB)

On the first day of early voting in the May primary, a conference room at the Bibb County Board of Elections was packed — spilling into the hall — to hear David Sumrall.

“My purpose is simply to help move us toward the cleanest voter roll possible, which lists only lawful voters,” Sumrall, head of the Bibb County Republican Party, said in the preamble to the case he was prepared to make.

Sumrall had come to challenge the validity of just under 800 county voter registrations — close to 1% of Bibb County voters.