Coca-Cola CEO’s comments about Georgia’s new restrictions on voting have drawn a lot of controversy in the area. Coke, which is based in Atlanta, was compelled to comment on Georgia’s efforts to limit voting rights and clarify the company’s position regarding the issue. However, not everyone is pleased with it – and now one county in North Carolina is taking a stand against Coca-Cola as part of an effort that may put some pressure on the beverage giant.
In Surry County, North Carolina, officials narrowly decided to ban Coca-Cola products. Because the Surry County administrators were not satisfied with the company CEO’s comments about Georgia’s voting reform, they will now force the firm to remove all of its vending machines from all county government property.
When the Board of Commissioners met on May 17, 2021, it voted to prohibit Coke beverages on county property. The board voted 3 to 2 to remove the Coke vending machines because James Quincey, Coca-Cola CEO and chairman, termed Georgia’s voting law changes “unacceptable” and “a step backward,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Commissioner Ed Harris of Surry County showed TODAY Digital the letter he sent to Quincy, in which he expressed his concerns. The North Carolina county’s officials wrote that Coca-Cola made “corporate political commentary favoring the Democratic party,” prompting the removal of Coke vending machines from government property.
“Our Board felt that was the best way to take a stand and express our disappointment in Coca-Cola’s actions, which are not representative of most views of our citizens,” he said. “Our Board hopes that other organizations across the country are taking similar stances against Coca-Cola and sincerely wishes that future marketing efforts and comments emanating from your company are more considerate of all your customers’ viewpoints.”
After several reports of suppression, Republicans in Georgia are working to minimize the Black vote after more than 1.1 million Blacks voted for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in November 2020. By a margin of about 12,000 votes, Biden won for the Democrats in Georgia.
According to Coca-Cola CEO Quincey, voting should be a right for all Americans, regardless of their race. In defense of Coca-Cola, he made a statement in reaction to the Republican-led voter suppression campaign.
“Voting is a foundational right in America, and we have long championed efforts to make it easier to vote,” Quincey stated published on Coca-Cola’s website on April 1. “We want to be crystal clear and state unambiguously that we are disappointed in the outcome of the Georgia voting legislation. Throughout Georgia’s legislative session, we provided feedback to members of both legislative chambers and political parties, opposing measures in the bills that would diminish or deter access to voting.”
In his lengthy letter to Quincey, Coke’s representative stated that the corporation supports “the out-of-control cancel culture and bigoted leftist mob,” according to The Root.
He continued, “Michael Jordan once said ‘Republicans buy sneakers too’ when asked why he didn’t make public comments about politics. Citizens of Surry County and across America are growing increasingly tired of large multinational corporations and their CEOs pushing an increasingly intolerant, bigoted, left-wing, divisive political agenda on its customers.”
