Please Help Us Spread Election Protection Info

Protect our vote

November 2, 2012

Please use your networks to help make sure every voter knows that any questions, problems or challenges to their voting rights can be directed to Election Protection by calling 1.866.OUR.VOTE, emailing info@866ourvote.org, or via Twitter to @866OURVOTE. Election Protection has professional and volunteer legal staff on hand to help voters understand what their rights are in every city, county and state.

We want everyone who is eligible to vote this Tuesday, and for every vote to be counted the way it was intended. Thanks to leaders like those involved in the Election Verification Network, we’re making progress toward ensuring election results are accurate and taking action when problems arise. But when it comes to who’s actually able to cast their ballots, legitimate voters are being challenged. Leading up to the 2012 election, deliberate efforts to suppress participation have been at a level that Eddie Hales, Managing Director and General Counsel for Advancement Project and an EVN Coordinating Committee member, recently called “The worst we’ve seen in 100 years.”

Suppression comes in many forms. Intentional, partisan attacks include voter ID requirements that disenfranchise large segments of the population, misleading billboards targeting minority neighborhoods, and voter roll "purges” that eliminate eligible names. Purposeful attempts to dissuade and confuse voters have included phone calls and mailings saying that ID requirements, election dates or polling place locations have changed. Election Day intimidation includes voters being approached by people falsely claiming to be officials, saying ID is required or threatening arrest if voters are found in violation of non-existent rules.

Fighting back is complicated and difficult for voters, even if their rights are challenged due to honest mistakes like clerical and pollworker errors. They have to know their rights, navigate an unfamiliar bureaucracy and do so with limited time. They may be dealing with pollworkers who don’t know what the law actually is, and they may be trying to troubleshoot in a second language with no one to help. Many problems arise on the very day of the election — when time is limited by deadlines or the voter’s work responsibilities. Even if a voter whose eligibility is challenged is allowed to cast a provisional ballot, those ballots often go uncounted for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, all these scenarios can easily lead to the voter becoming discouraged or afraid, running out of time, and giving up.

Please use your networks to help us spread the word about Election Protection resources. You can start by distributing this Tiltings issue. We’ve also posted this information on Quixote Foundation’s Facebook page, and you can repost it in your organizational and personal status updates. (You can “like” Quixote Foundation and share it from there, including the status text as well as the link, or post it directly by copying this text and link:

“Please repost: If your right to vote is questioned by anyone in any way, call 1.866.Our.Vote, email info@866OURVOTE.org, or Tweet @866OURVOTE for immediate, free help. You’ll reach Election Protection and get assistance from people who know the laws in every city, county & state. http://www.866ourvote.org/“

If you’re on Twitter, you may want to follow and retweet @866OURVOTE for election protection updates and/or @QuixoteTilts for related updates and commentary.

Thanks in advance to anyone who opts into this request. And get out there and vote!

—written by Keneta Anderson for Quixote Foundation