Lawyers’ Committee, NAACP, Common Cause, State Voices, NALEO; AL, GA, PA, and LA state partners unveil plans to protect voters of color’s access to the ballot
Washington, D.C. – Today, ahead of Tuesday primaries in Alabama, Georgia, and Pennsylvania – among other states – and following the suspended U.S. House primaries in Louisiana, leaders from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, NAACP, NALEO Educational Fund, State Voices, Lift Our Vote (AL), Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (LA), and Common Cause PA hosted a press briefing to announce the launch of the 2026 Election Protection campaign.
The event took place as the Supreme Court today vacated and remanded two voting discrimination cases from Mississippi and North Dakota. This ruling comes just two weeks after the Court’s decision inLouisiana v. Callais, and just last week, Alabama moved forward with implementing discriminatory maps and postponing several congressional primary elections.
The call featured announcements from coalition leaders on voter protection efforts ahead of the midterms, including resources available to voters through the 866-OUR-VOTE Election Protection hotline and plans to combat the major threats to the ballot, including: dilution of Black and Brown voting power, election denial, voter roll purges, and voter intimidation.
“Today, we both sound the alarm and prepare voters with real resources and real support,” said Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “The Supreme Court’s decision has unleashed what can only be described as a race to discriminate, as anti-democratic officials go on a redistricting and disenfranchisement spree. But the civil rights movement has not retreated. Our ancestors did not retreat then, and we’re not about to start now. The Election Protection Coalition, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and our partners across the country are using every tool the law still gives us: in the courts, in statehouses, and at the ballot box — to ensure that no eligible voter is locked out of our democracy.”
“Let’s be clear: the Supreme Court’s ruling is part of a blatant, coordinated effort to erase Black and brown political power,” said Leon W. Russell, Chair of the Board of Directors of the NAACP. “But we have the power. We have our vote. They are redrawing the lines because they know what happens when we vote together. If we were not such a potent force, they would not need to try to silence us. We have our agency, and we have the tools to protect that. One of those tools is the election protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE.”
“The Callais decision by the Supreme Court has issued a devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act, to the voting rights of Black, Latino, and other communities of color,” said Erica Bernal-Martinez, CEO of NALEO Educational Fund. “We remain steadfast. We remain steadfast in providing our community with critical information that will help people feel more confident as they approach the polls in the coming days and weeks – and into the fall. We are on standby for Latino voters heading to the polls in Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. And we are proud to continue supporting Latino voters with their questions and election-related issues through the protection hotline: 888-VE-Y-VOTA.”
“The reason why we do this work, why this coalition was even made, is to protect voters’ ability to vote free from fear and intimidation,” said Alexis Anderson-Reed, President and CEO of State Voices. “It took just eight days to dismantle Black political power and representation in Tennessee. But no court ruling and no intimidation tactic will dim our resolve to see a democracy that actually looks like us. Your voice is your power, and this coalition is here to ensure that it’s heard. We aren’t just protecting the vote – we’re building a democracy for our future in the years and decades to come that will finally live up to its promise.”
“It has been powerful to see a uniquely high turnout for this spring election that we don’t typically see outside of the fall cycle,” said Ashley K. Shelton, Executive Director of Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “This year, there were many challenges that arose in Louisiana that showcase the importance of election protection. These challenges allow us to really respond to voters in real time. We are very proud to see – in the midst of increased voter turnout – our election protection program protect so many voters and their voices during elections this past Saturday in real time. Through our work, and the work of this coalition, we seek to capitalize on that energy and momentum.”
“Elections are critical, but the voter is vital,” said Jessica Barker, Founder of Lift Our Vote Alabama. “We are here doing the work to ensure that we are recentering election conversations back around the voices that matter most in the entire process – the voice of the voter. Our voters should be able to cast their ballots without threats of invalidation, without the fear of their choices being cancelled, and with knowing that they will have their voices actually heard and counted.”
“We want voters to know that their votes count and it’s important that they make their voices be heard,” said Helen Butler, Executive Director of Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda. “While our legislature in Georgia has made absentee voting practically null and void, we’ve seen a record turnout of 1 million voters during this early voting period. That is the power we have, and we’re here to back it up. Our volunteers were at early voting locations to ensure voters had access to the ballot without issues. And tomorrow, our poll monitors will be at polling locations with histories of problems or ones we anticipate will have problems. We’re letting voters know that their votes count, and that it’s important to make their voices heard. We are here to protect your right to vote. Call 866-OUR-VOTE for any questions or needs you have.”
“While Pennsylvania voters will not immediately feel the impact of the Callais decision, we are not immune to attempts to suppress our votes. These federal actions have ripple effects that are felt by voters across the Commonwealth as well as across the country,” said Jill Greene, Voting and Elections Manager of Common Cause PA. “What has changed is the scale, scope, and intensity of these attacks – the blatant, audacious nationwide targeting of voting rights. And that means the scale, scope, and intensity of our response must change with it. In 2024, we helped thousands of overseas civilian and military voters defend their right to vote when bad actors, including some among our own state legislature, leveled unfounded challenges to try to throw out their ballots. We are here this year to do it again.”
Such setbacks are bound to create confusion and barriers to the ballot box — but voters are not alone. Together, the coalition will meet this unprecedented moment and double down on its commitment to help voters overcome increasing disenfranchisement by anti-democratic actors.
The Election Protection Coalition’s mission is to protect, advance, and defend the right to vote, especially for communities of color. During the 2024 general election cycle, the Election Protection hotline fielded 56,000 contacts, and over 175,000 people visited the 866ourvote.org website.
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About the Election Protection Coalition
The national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition works year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. Made up of more than 300 local, state and national partners, Election Protection uses a wide range of tools and activities to protect, advance and defend the right to vote.
