Friend -- here is a troubling thought. One way to interpret President Trump’s recent actions is that he thinks his best path to re-election is through suppressing millions of voters.

I hope that’s not the case -- but just look at his track record:

He’s spreading easily-debunked lies about reforms (like vote-by-mail) that voters are depending on even more in this pandemic. [1] And, he’s going all-out to bankrupt the USPS, which we’ll rely on to securely deliver those mail-in ballots. [2]

Now, just last week, his re-election campaign doubled their budget for voting lawsuits to a staggering $20 million [3] -- which will be used to oppose efforts to make voting safe and accessible this November.

Here’s why that’s a problem: different states are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways, including how they run elections.

Some states (red, blue, and purple) are doing it right -- like expanding vote-by-mail options, offering pre-paid postage on absentee ballots, and expanding early voting hours to limit crowds.

But sadly, politicians in other states are exploiting this pandemic to suppress votes -- or refusing to take the necessary measures to ensure that everyone’s vote gets counted this November.

Now, Trump’s campaign is spending millions on lawyers who'll try to block states from doing the right thing -- and defend states that suppress voters against civil rights legal challenges.

And unfortunately, that means many of the policies we’re fighting to implement right now could face a barrage of lawsuits -- even frivolous ones. So, we must factor in the costs of defending vote-by-mail and other reforms in court into our budget -- putting a major strain on our resources.

Friend, I’m writing today because it'll take all of us to stop Trump’s all-out assault on our voting rights. We can’t match their $20 million, but we do have 1.2 million caring and committed Common Cause supporters like you nationwide who are willing to do what it takes. So if you are able to, can you please chip in $3 today to help protect voters?

Despite Trump’s efforts to politicize it, voting isn’t -- and can’t become -- a partisan issue. That’s why our mission is to ensure every eligible voter can cast their ballot this November -- whether they’re a Republican, Democrat, or Independent.

That means getting Congress to fully fund reforms like vote-by-mail and early voting, using our relationships with election officials to implement them equitably, and keeping voters educated about their rights.

Plus, we’re going to need to do much of it from home -- finding new ways to connect with each other by phone or online to take action safely during this pandemic. It won’t be easy, and all of this will require an extraordinary infusion of resources.

I know that many of our members are in difficult financial circumstances right now -- so please only give if you are able to. But if you can, your support will immediately make a difference for voters. Please chip in $3 if possible, and help ensure that everyone’s voice can be heard in this year’s elections >>

I'll Chip In $3

We’ve fought for half a century to protect every American’s right to vote -- and that fight has taken on new importance now. I’m glad we can continue to count on your support.

Thanks for all you do,

Sylvia Albert, Director of Voting and Elections
and the team at Common Cause

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/article/mail-in-voting-explained.html
[2] https://www.vox.com/2020/4/12/21218151/usps-bailout-privatization-amazon-trump
[3] https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/07/trump-democrats-voting-laws-243517