Georgia activists against a proposed police and firefighting training center have called on Democratic senators to denounce Atlanta's plan to check every signature on a petition to put the issue to voters.

A "line-by-line review" would ensure the signatures match what officials have on file, said officials in the Democratic-led city, drawing praise from the head of the Georgia Republican Party, condemnation from voting rights groups, but silence from the state's Democratic senators, who for years have railed against GOP-imposed voter restrictions.