Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, March 17, at 11:30 am ET and 6:00 pm ET, national, state and local voting rights leaders will hold telephone press briefings to provide updates on the problems and challenges experienced by voters seeking to participate in the primary election. To date, prior press calls have shed light on the challenges that barriers experience at the polls including long lines, malfunctioning equipment, inaccurate ID requirements, purging of the registration rolls and more. The impact of COVID-19 on the primary election will also be discussed. Voting rights leaders participating in these press briefings will provide real-time updates and information yielded by the Election Protection 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and the deployment of field monitors to polling sites in states holding primaries.
Election Protection is the nation’s largest and longest-running nonpartisan voter protection coalition in the country. Founded in 2001, Election Protection is anchored by the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and other hotlines that provide support to voters in 11 different languages. The Election Protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, also carries out its work through voter education, advocacy with election officials, field monitors and rapid response litigation, when necessary, to protect the vote.
WITH:Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Election Protection partner organizations.
DIAL: 11:30am ET – Dial 877-830-2586. The conference ID is 2325 or 1ELECTION
6:00pm ET – Dial 877-830-2586. The conference ID is 8865 or 2ELECTION
QUOTE: “Numerous states have instituted 11th hour polling place changes, are working to recruit sufficient numbers of poll workers and are making procedural adjustments in response to the coronavirus,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “It is critical that officials provide full and fair notice to voters in all communities regarding any changes to the electoral process. We are working to ensure that voters have the information needed to participate this primary season. We are also working to beat back voter suppression efforts, online misinformation campaigns, purge efforts and other tactics used to disenfranchise voters.”
NOTE: For requests or to be added to the Lawyers’ Committee press list, contact press@lawyerscommittee.org.
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About Election Protection: 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. Composed of approximately 200 local, state and national partners, Election Protection uses a wide range of tools and activities to protect, advance and defend the right to vote. Election Protection provides Americans from coast to coast with comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting – from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to their participation. Election Protection helps voters make sure their vote is counted through a number of resources, including a suite of national hotlines, the 866OURVOTE.org website and digital outreach tools @866ourVote and facebook.com/866OurVote.
Election Protection hotlines: 866-OUR-VOTE/866-687-8683 administered by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; 888-VE-Y-VOTA/888-839-8682 administered by the NALEO Educational Fund in Spanish and English; 888-API-VOTE/888-274-8683 administered by Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and APIAVote in Bengali/Bangla, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese;844-YALLA-US/844-925-5287 administered by the Arab American Institute in Arabic and English.
