Before we get into this week’s edition of the Insider, we want to say a big thank you for your partnership in the fight to make sure November’s election is free, fair, safe, and secure for all voters. On Tuesday, House Democrats introduced the HEROES Act, which includes adequate funding to protect this year’s election. There’s still a tough fight ahead, but we’re keeping the pressure on.

With your help, we can ensure nobody has to choose between their health and their right to vote. Thank you for your partnership in this fight. And if you didn’t get a chance to donate yet, there’s still time.

With our deepest thanks,
Brennan Center for Justice

The risk that a real crisis — natural disaster, machine breakdown, foreign interference — will disrupt the election is significant. But there is also a serious risk that political actors will manufacture crises to undermine election results they don’t like. These fake crises can undercut trust in the accuracy of election outcomes, inflame partisan tensions, and destabilize our democracy. Here are eight lies, misconceptions, and false arguments that voters will have to contend with in 2020.

The Brennan Center has issued a detailed plan for running a safe election this November, and implementing it will take time. Election officials need to purchase critical supplies in a matter of weeks. This new Brennan Center guide breaks down the critical deadlines for what is needed — and the potentially dangerous consequences of missing them.

An effective government response to the coronavirus pandemic requires that political officials consult scientific experts for guidance to stop the spread of infection. The Trump administration has been doing just the opposite, repeatedly rejecting expert advice in the name of political expediency. But with Dr. Anthony Fauci and whistleblower Dr. Rick Bright’s congressional hearings this week, the tide could turn.

While election administrators across the country are moving to expand mail voting options, improper voter roll purges mean that not all Iowa voters will receive a ballot request form. That's because until this year, the state used error-riddled data to kick eligible voters off the rolls. Learn more about this issue in Iowa and similar ways that voter suppression appears across the country.

The Untold Story of American Nonvoters
Tuesday, May 19 | 12:00 p.m. ET
In 2016, 43 percent of eligible voters — nearly 100 million people — didn’t cast a ballot in the presidential election. But why? Is it a lack of faith in our election system? Or a deficit of information and interest? And what would happen if they turned out to vote? Join our panel in exploring the political and policy implications of so many Americans abstaining from the electoral process. RSVP today.

PODCAST: Listen to Brennan Center Live’s newest episode, The Fight for Reproductive Rights.

Michelle Alexander shares a powerful letter from a person in prison who is suffering in inhumane conditions.