October 2016 Concerns About Voter Intimidation

Election Day « Press Releases on Efforts to Counter Voter Intimidation

Election Protection
November 8, 2016

Largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition Election Protection urges voting reform

Perspective on voting process from nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today leading civil rights organizations comprising the Election Protection Coalition worked in tandem to document egregious violations of voting rights and galvanize support to overcome obstacles to voting. As of 8:30 p.m. EST on Election night, over 35,000 phone calls were placed to the coalition’s voter assistance hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) on Election Day alone, with over 100,000 calls placed during the 2016 election cycle. There were at least 8,000 Election Protection volunteers working on Election Day 2016.

Calls to the hotline documented unlawful photo ID screening across Pennsylvania, while Florida college students reported that poll workers classified their dormitories as hotels and then issued them provisional ballots. In North Carolina, coalition members filed a lawsuit to keep polls opened later after voters were paper ballots in lieu of malfunctioning equipment.

Election Protection Coalition partners reflected as polling sites closed across the country on this day in voter issues:

“Our American electoral system is a work in progress,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Today, we saw a number of issues involving voter intimidation, long lines outside of polling sites, equipment failures, improper application of voter identification requirements, and other issues. More work remains to be done to ensure full access to our democracy. We will use the information obtained from this election cycle to push for positive reforms and to continue our work to combat ongoing voting discrimination and voter suppression.”

“The calls coming through our hotline this election cycle proved the critical importance of in-language resources for our growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate,” said Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote.. “Calls came from over forty states, highlighting the expansive geographic diversity of our community, with concerns about language access, navigating the voting process, and more. This year, AAPI voters capitalized on early voting, with high early voter turnout in states like North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, which demonstrates that our community is taking advantage of our in-language resources like the hotline to access the ballot.”

“There is no excuse in the 21st century for voters to experience long lines because of machine malfunctions, confusion over rules or overt discrimination in voting,” said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. “This election makes clear that Congress and the states must to act immediately to restore the Voting Rights Act and make commonsense reforms to modernize election systems.”

“Through our 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota hotline, we know Latinos headed to the polls today prepared, informed about their rights and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Arturo Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund executive director. “While we were concerned by some reports of voter intimidation, long lines and delays in opening of polling locations, we know that Latino voters remained steadfast in their commitment to casting ballots this election. Working together with the community, partners and the Election Protection Coalition, we were able to address problems in real time, helping ensure that eligible Latino voters who wanted to exercise their right to vote were able to do so in Election 2016.”

“Today, calls to the hotline (1-888-API-VOTE) paint a different picture for the Asian American electorate than in past years as the majority of calls were not about voter intimidation but rather about AAPIs exercising their democratic rights,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. “Our hotline was a beacon of information for the community – finding polling locations and providing in-language resources for AAPI voters. Though we will continue to monitor the hotline for reports of voter intimidation in the next several weeks, we are encouraged that our efforts were focused on the opportunity to vote and not about those intending to obstruct it.”

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About Election Protection
Election Protection is the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Through its suite of hotlines, including the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline (866-687-8683) administered by the Lawyers’ Committee, 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) administered by NALEO Educational Fund, 888-API-VOTE (888-273-8683) administered by APIAVote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC and a dedicated team of trained legal and grassroots volunteers, Election Protection helps all American voters, including traditionally disenfranchised groups, gain access to the polls and overcome obstacles to voting. The coalition has more than 100 partners—including Advancement Project, Asian American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, League of Women Voters of the United States, NAACP, National Bar Association, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, State Voices, Rock the Vote and Verified Voting Foundation—at the national, state and local levels and provides voter protection services nationwide. For more information about Election Protection and the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, please visit www.866ourvote.org.
CONTACT:
Stacie Burgess

Election Protection
October 4, 2016

National Civil Rights Organizations Ramp Up Election Protection 2016 to Protect Voting Rights

Washington, D.C., October 4, 2016 – With the 2016 general election just one month away, Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, is ramping up its efforts to safeguard voting rights across the country. Multiple states have attempted to impose severe restrictions on the right to vote. While courts have batted down many of these efforts to limit the franchise, the confusion surrounding recent rulings and the lack of accurate information could disrupt voting this election cycle. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is spearheading Election Protection’s efforts to protect voters this election cycle, using hotlines, field monitors and voter education, as well as its expansive network of national partners and state advocates, to respond to any questions or concerns voters may have.

“The 2016 presidential election cycle makes clear that voting discrimination and voter suppression continues to rear its ugly ahead across our country,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Election Protection and its central 866-OUR-VOTE hotline are available to help voters nationwide to overcome the barriers that stand between them and the ballot box. Our goal through the Election Protection program is to ensure that all voters are able to exercise the most important right in our democracy.”

Specifically, the program will address:

How recent voting changes have the potential to impact the 2016 election: Although officials in numerous states have proposed measures that would increase the efficiency and inclusiveness of voting procedures, introducing measures such as automatic voter registration, others have turned back the clock on the voting process. Voters in 14 states face new voting restrictions, several of which have drastically impact minority voters. Courts have successfully struck down some of these regulations, but the threat to equal access to the ballot box remains. Election Protection is particularly concerned about the following:

Implementation of voter ID laws and recent court decisions concerning voter ID like North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin
Voter registration issues in Georgia and Ohio
Improper challenges and voter intimidation at the polls

How pollworkers, volunteers, and voters can combat challenges to voting rights: Pollworkers, volunteers, and fellow voters are best able to gauge situations unfolding at polling places on Election Day. Ultimately, this group forms the first line of defense in ensuring voting rights for eligible voters, and Election Protection aims to equip them with the resources and information they need to do so. In the weeks leading up to November 8, Election Protection will continue training volunteers nationwide to monitor Election Day activities and will provide detailed analyses and explanations pertaining to the latest legal decisions on state-specific voting laws.

How minority voters can exercise their right to vote: Given that this year’s election will be the first without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, it’s essential that voters who have historically faced discrimination at the polls can fulfill their civic duty without fear of intimidation. Election Protection simplifies the voting process by offering three nonpartisan voter helplines where trained volunteers are available to address voters’ questions or problems with voter registration, early voting, voter I.D. requirements and other related voting issues to ensure that every vote counts. Voters can seek answers to their questions through the hotlines at the following times:

Toll-free English-language hotline: The Lawyers’ Committee’s 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) is currently staffed live on weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m. EST and will expand hours and days as Election Day nears.
Toll-free Spanish-language hotline: NALEO’s 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) is live year-round.
Toll-free Asian-language hotline: Voters needing assistance during election season in various Asian languages can call and leave a message to AAJC and APIAVote’s 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683), and a volunteer will return their call.

“Voting is a fundamental right in our democracy, yet not all citizens have equal access to voting,” said Mee Moua, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. “Asian Americans face a number of barriers that impedes our access to the ballot box. The challenges of discriminatory voting laws and lack of access to in-language voter resources are just a few of the obstacles that contribute to lower civic engagement and keep our community from exercising its full political power.”

“For the first time in more than 50 years, Latino voters will cast ballots in a presidential election without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act,” said Arturo Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund executive director. “With more than 13.1 million Latino voters expected to make their voices heard at the ballot box this year, the Latino electorate will play a decisive role in the race for the White House and contests nationwide. NALEO Educational Fund will be here for the Latino community in the lead up to Election Day, working tirelessly on the ground and through our toll-free bilingual hotline 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) to ensure Latino voters have the information necessary to vote and a resource to report any problems they may experience at the polls.”

“As we head into to the first presidential election since 1965 without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act, the 888-API-VOTE hotline is even more critical to protect and serve our electorate,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote). "This election hotline not only provides AAPI voters essential in-language assistance, it ensures that all voters, regardless of proficiency in English, will have equitable access to the ballot box. This is especially important as we know from polling that turnout of limited English proficient voters in 2012 was 9 percent lower than English proficient voters. Our voter education and protection efforts across the country are amplifying this hotline through the elections to ensure equity for our communities at the ballot box.”

About Election Protection
Election Protection is the nation's largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, led by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Through its suite of hotlines, including the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline (866-687-8683) administered by the Lawyers’ Committee, 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) administered by NALEO Educational Fund, 888-API-VOTE (888-273-8683) administered by APIAVote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC and a dedicated team of trained legal and grassroots volunteers, Election Protection helps all American voters, including traditionally disenfranchised groups, gain access to the polls and overcome obstacles to voting. The coalition has more than 100 partners—including Advancement Project, Asian American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, League of Women Voters of the United States, NAACP, National Bar Association, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, State Voices, Rock the Vote and Verified Voting Foundation—at the national, state and local levels and provides voter protection services nationwide. For more information about Election Protection and the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, please visit www.866ourvote.org.

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CONTACT:

Stacie Burgess
Director of Communications and External Affairs

Election Protection
August 31, 2016

Open Letter to Political Parties Concerning Voter Intimidation

Donna Brazile
Interim Chair, Democratic National Committee
430 South Capitol Street Southeast
Washington, DC 20003

Reince Priebus
Chairman, Republican National Committee
310 First Street SE
Washington, DC 20003

Nicholas Sarwark
Chair, Libertarian National Committee
1444 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3403 Steering Committee

Green Party of the United States
PO Box 75075
Washington, DC 20013

Dear Party Leadership,

We write in defense of the bedrock principle of our democracy: the right to vote freely.

Recent calls to activate law enforcement near and within polling places and to deploy observers against imagined voter fraud in the upcoming presidential election threaten to subvert the democratic process by silencing the voices of American citizens. Election monitoring can be appropriate if conducted in a manner that facilitates rather than hinders participation by all eligible voters, consistent with all applicable federal and state laws. However, unsubstantiated predictions of voter fraud and rigged elections, coupled with the demagogic rhetoric of the last few months towards minority communities, constitute an unacceptable targeting of those members of our society most vulnerable to disenfranchisement. It raises concerns in our organizations that communities of color will face unwarranted intimidation and unlawful challenges, impeding the ability of voters, particularly voters of color, to exercise their right to vote in the fall.

Racial minorities have faced a long and painful history of intimidation at the ballot box, through many of the same methods proposed in recent weeks[1]. There is no place for harassment of voters in American democracy. Past intimidation at the polls has led to a court order restraining precisely this type of behavior.

We urge you to act with deliberate speed to denounce this dangerous effort. You must make it clear that baseless challenges are not acceptable, and that the Voting Rights Act expressly prohibits intimidation of voters by anyone, whether acting under color of law or otherwise.

As members of the non-partisan Election Protection coalition, our organizations will remain steadfast in our work towards safeguarding access to the voting booth for all eligible Americans, regardless of political affiliation, race, disability, sexual orientation, or gender. All voters may rely upon the Election Protection hotlines[2] (866-OUR-VOTE, 888-VE-Y-VOTA, 888-API-VOTE) for questions and to report problems. Our staff and trained non-partisan volunteers will work unstintingly to uphold the right to vote against intimidation, deceptive practices, and unlawful challenges, so that every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot and have it count.

We can preserve our most sacred of rights only through free, fair, and accessible elections. We seek your commitment to combat this threat to our democracy, with the fierce urgency of now.

Sincerely,

The Election Protection Coalition

Ability360

Advancement Project

Advocacy Center of Louisiana

AFL-CIO

African American Ministers Leadership Council

Alliance for Justice

American Civil Liberties Union

American Constitution Society for Law and Policy

American Federation of Teachers

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

Arizona Advocacy Network

Arizona AFL-CIO

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)

Brennan Center for Justice

Campaign Legal Center

Center for American Progress

Center for Media and Democracy

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Common Cause

Common Cause Florida

Crescent City Media Group

Democracy North Carolina

Demos

Fair Elections Legal Network

Franciscan Action Network

Keystone Votes

LatinoJustice PRLDEF

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

League of United Latin American Citizens

League of Women Voters

NAACP

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

NAACP-National Voter Fund

National Action Network

National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund

National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

National Bar Association

National Congress of American Indians

National Council of Jewish Women

National Disability Rights Network

Nebraskans for Civic Reform

New Florida Majority

New Virginia Majority

Ohio Voice

Organize Now

People For the American Way Foundation

Progress Florida Education Fund

Progress Virginia Education Fund

Project Vote

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia

Public Counsel

Rock the Vote

Service Employees International Union

Southern Coalition for Social Justice

Southern Poverty Law Center

Texas Civil Rights Project

The Bus Federation

The Center for Popular Democracy

The Voter Participation Center

Union for Reform Judaism

United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

Verified Voting

Vote.org

Voting Rights Institute, Georgetown University Law Center

Voto Latino

UNC Center for Civil Rights

Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

Virginia Civic Engagement Table

Vote Riders

Wisconsin Voices

Young People For

Young Elected Officials Network

[1] For more background on how overly zealous challenges are a threat to voting rights, see: http://www.demos.org/publication/bullies-ballot-box-protecting-freedom-vote-against-wrongful-challenges-and-intimidation

[2] English language assistance is available via 866-OUR-VOTE, is led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Bilingual (English & Spanish) language assistance is available via 888-VE-Y-VOTA, is led by the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. Asian language assistance is available via 888-API-VOTE, is led by Asian American Justice Center—AAJC and APIA Vote.

NAACP
November 3, 2016

NAACP Mounts Nationwide Voter Protection Effort

The Selma Initiative

Hotline and lawyers deployed to protect voters on Election Day adds to the organization’s robust ongoing mobilization work

(Washington, DC) On March 21, 1965, thousands of nonviolent protesters marched out of Selma, Alabama alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. Five days later, they arrived in Montgomery and gathered on the steps of the Capitol, demanding equal and full rights of citizenship. Five months later, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.

Today, November 3, 2016, we stand five days away from the first presidential election in more than fifty years in which the Justice Department will operate without the full support of the Voting Rights Act. People of color, seniors, young people and immigrants are uniquely vulnerable this year, with months of warnings of voter fraud and a “rigged” election on the campaign trail.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has launched a nationwide voter protection initiative to safeguard Americans exercising their constitutional rights in this election. We have mobilized our two million digital activists, nearly half million card-carrying members, and 2,200 local units to join our effort. In these five final, critical days before the election – our own Selma to Montgomery sprint – we are working around the clock to protect all citizens from voter suppression.

The NAACP national mobilization campaign targets 17 critically vulnerable states and supports all 50. Through door-to-door canvassing, more than 40 in-person phone banks and countless more automated voter outreach drives, we have reached more than 6,022 African American precincts (those with an African American population at least 65%).

“In every presidential election since 1965, we have battled to increase the turnout of black voters, and once again we are doing everything in our power to encourage black voters to get to the polls in record numbers,” said NAACP President and CEO Cornell W. Brooks. “The kinds of threats we have heard in recent months—ID checks, voter intimidation, misinformation campaigns—harken back to the first half of the 20^th century. And although the current iteration of the Voting Rights Act is not nearly as powerful as it was, make no mistake: these practices are illegal, and they are wrong.”

The NAACP mobilized staff and operationalized national resources to fight voter suppression:

We joined with the National Election Protection Coalition to make sure every American can exercise their constitutional right this November.
In voter suppression states like Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Texas, state conferences sent letters to their election officials informing them of voting machine malfunctions which keep voters from electing their candidates of choice, and to provide the required notice for Election Day vote monitoring.
The Texas NAACP, as a plaintiff in the Veasey v. Perry case, worked to ensure the Secretary of State’s office properly informed voters of their right to cast a regular ballot with alternative identification, if they do not have voter identification, as outlined in the SB14 law.
We collaborated with BET, the Sheryl Underwood Radio Network and Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House in Dallas for a series of national public service announcements and voter education.
We partnered with other organizations with national networks, from the AME Church to the Divine 9 to the Masons, Shriners and The Links, to get out the vote and raise awareness about voter suppression.
This week the NAACP sued North Carolina due to discriminatory practices in voter purging.

Advancement Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2016
Contact: Ricardo A. Ramírez

Rampant, Racially Charged Falsehoods About Voter Fraud Undermine Our Democracy

Washington, D.C. – This past weekend in Gettysburg, Pa., Donald Trump repeated disconcerting, misleading, racially charged statements about the nature and health of our voting systems. In response, Advancement Project, a multi racial civil rights organization, released the following statement:

“In America the right to vote is sacred,” said Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project’s national office. “Continuous, baseless claims of voter fraud undermine confidence in our democracy. It is disturbing that a presidential candidate would question the integrity of our election system. Falsely implicating African-Americans in rigging elections and calling on vigilantes to watch voters in Black communities is unacceptable and dangerous.”

“Charges of widespread voter fraud have been rejected by several federal courts and now by many Republican officials. Any vulnerability in our democracy instead, stems from the shameful, long-standing pattern of policies that make it harder to vote for people of color. Recent cuts to early voting in North Carolina and illegal removal of voters from the voter rolls in Ohio remind us that voting rights are still under attack.”

“No one – no individual, organization or candidate – has the right to restrict participation of eligible voters in the process. Intimidation is illegal. In the coming days, Advancement Project will send both campaigns a letter calling on them to endorse free, fair and accessible election practices. Our democracy is stronger when we are all able to participate. ”

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www.advancementproject.org

Advancement Project is a multi-racial civil rights organization. Founded by a team of veteran civil rights lawyers in 1999, Advancement Project was created to develop and inspire community-based solutions based on the same high quality legal analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2016
CONTACT: Jeralyn Cave, Advancement Project

Voting Rights Advocates Detail Plans to Combat Voter Intimidation

Organizations Push Back Against Voter Fraud Rhetoric Emphasizing What’s at Stake for Voters of Color in the 2016 Election

WASHINGTON – Voting rights advocates are pushing back against voter fraud rhetoric and highlighting what’s at stake for voting rights in communities of color in this election. On a call yesterday, leadership from Advancement Project, the New Florida Majority, the Ohio Unity Coalition and New Georgia Project provided a snapshot of alarming barriers to the ballot box for Black and Brown voters 18 days before the election. Voting rights advocates addressed concerns about voter intimidation and detailed their plans to ensure voters of color have access to the ballot box. The leaders from Advancement Project, the New Florida Majority, the Ohio Unity Coalition and the New Georgia Project made the following statement.

“Without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, some states and localities have ramped up their efforts to game the system in such a way that keeps people of color from the ballot. The real story is that, facing long odds, communities across the country are fighting back against these efforts, and they’re winning,” said Judith Browne Dianis, executive director of Advancement Project’s national office. “Voters should have confidence that this election cycle, there will be an army of legal staff, non-profits and volunteers who will be working to ensure their access to the ballot.”

“There are concerns with the electoral system, but they revolve around systemic attempts to suppress voters of color by state and political operatives,” said Gihan Perera from the New Florida Majority. “There is so much at stake in elections both at the local level and in the presidential election. We are working to support the community to exercise their right without being intimidated.”

“This election, voters in Ohio will have the opportunity to vote on judges and prosecutors in a way that could impact how communities of color get justice when unarmed Black people are killed by police officers. If Black and Brown people aren’t allowed to register their support for judges or candidates who are running for office, it limits our ability to get justice in these key cases like Tamir Rice,” said Peete Talley, Convener of the Unity Coalition of Ohio. “We will be at polls as a resource to voters. If they run into any issues casting their ballot, we will assist them and help them understand their rights. Our message to voters of color is to just vote.”

“In Georgia, there is a lot at stake. There is a ballot initiative that would make it virtually impossible to get rid of bad judges, and that’s not good for anyone,” said Nse Ufot, Executive Director of New Georgia Project. “It’s not voter fraud we’re concerned about, it’s voter intimidation. We have mobilized against suppressive tactics and are working to train grassroots and legal observers to address voter intimidation if we see it.”

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Stop the Steal [pro-Trump]
email from November 7, 2016

Stop the Steal hereby directs all of its volunteers hereby participating in tomorrow’s exit polling that it is a violation of federal law to engage in voter intimidation at polling sites. This means any act of conduct that intimidates, threatens, or coerces any person for voting or attempting to vote is unlawful and subject to criminal and civil penalties.

During exit polling activities on election day, you must not:

a. Speak (or encourage anyone else to speak) to any voter before he goes into a polling place, about ANYTHING, or who appears to be in line to vote or headed into a polling place.

b. Speak to ANYONE within 100 feet of the entrance to any polling place

c. Go inside a polling location for any reason other than to vote yourself, and when voting yourself and inside a polling place say or do anything not directly related to casting your own vote

d. Record by audio or video or any other method of sound or video reproduction the comments of anyone who has voted without that person’s permission

e. Wear or display any badge, button, or clothing that promotes any political candidate or party

f. Photograph the conduct of voting at a polling place or record the conduct of voting, or of any voter in line to vote (no matter how far distant from a polling place) or who appears to be headed into a polling place to vote or who is within 100 feet of a polling place even if that person has already voted

g. Without regard to distance from a polling place, ask any person who has not yet voted their name, address or political affiliation or how that voter plans to mark his or her ballot

h. It is our goal to conduct a neutral, scientifically-based and methodically sound exit poll at certain targeted precincts for the purpose of preparing the exit poll actual data.

Please indicate that you have received this email by responding to info@stopthesteal.org as soon as possible. As a reminder, we are having a training call tonight at 9 EST/ 6 PST. The call-in information for this training session is as follows: