One lifelong Georgian is expressing his dismay at his home state’s legislative moves to restrict voting. Former President Jimmy Carter rebuked Republican efforts to repeal no-excuse absentee voting, and require more voter ID. In a statement released from the Carter Center, the former president said:

Now, as our state legislators seek to turn back the clock through legislation that will restrict access to voting for many Georgians, I am disheartened, saddened, and angry. Many of the proposed changes are reactions to allegations of fraud for which no evidence was produced—allegations that were, in fact, refuted through various audits, recounts, and other measures. The proposed changes appear to be rooted in partisan interests, not in the interests of all Georgia voters.

Carter added: “Our goal always should be to increase, not decrease, voter participation.”

Read the full statement here.