Friend, we witnessed multiple systemic failures in yesterday’s primary elections.
In New York, thousands of absentee ballots didn’t arrive on time -- forcing eligible voters to choose between risking their health to vote in person, or giving up their rights entirely. [1]
Meanwhile, the state of Kentucky decided to reduce the number of polling places for yesterday’s primary from 3,700 to less than 200. [2] They left just one polling place for 616,000 registered voters in Jefferson County near Louisville -- where half of Kentucky’s Black voters live. [3]
The result? Hours-long waits at polling places. Confusion about where and how to vote. And thousands of eligible voters denied their right to participate in democracy. [4]
You’ve heard me say this all year, but it bears repeating: if we don’t get to work immediately, we’ll see a repeat this November of the obstacles voters faced yesterday -- and earlier this year in states like Georgia and Wisconsin.
That’s why right now, we’re sharpening the final touches on our Protect The Vote 2020 campaign -- our 50-state organizing, advocacy, and litigation initiative to make certain every voter can safely and securely vote this fall.
Here’s what success means: every eligible voter gets to vote by mail if they want to -- getting their ballot on time, mailing it back or dropping it off securely, and having confidence it was counted.
And if they don’t want to (or can’t), they can vote safely in person -- following public health and social distancing rules, without waiting in line for hours or worrying about unsecured machines.
Friend, it will take immense effort -- yours and mine -- to make sure we’re ready for November. But it’s work Common Cause is prepared to take on, if we can count on your help.
As I write, we are making our final decisions about the size and scale of Protect The Vote 2020 -- how many volunteers can we mobilize, how much we can we spend on ads targeted directly to at-risk voters so they know their rights, and what legal and legislative fights can we take on to improve our voting systems in time for November.
What we will be able to accomplish depends on what we can raise by June 30th -- the end of our fiscal year. And given the rapidly rising threats of voter suppression we have no choice but to dramatically scale up our Protect The Vote 2020 effort.
To put it bluntly, we need $200,000 in additional funding before June 30th -- the end of our fiscal year to do it. And to help meet this urgent need, one generous Common Cause supporter, who wishes to remain anonymous, has already contributed $100,000.
She did so in hopes that she could count on you and your fellow Common Cause members to make it the rest of the way. I believe this goal is within reach -- so please, if you're able to, can you chip in $3 or more today?
Remember, the real power in our democracy lies with the people, with voters like you and me. And right now, thousands of Common Cause members are getting involved with one of our 35 state-level groups -- led by committed advocates, with years of experience and relationships with election officials that will make a big difference for voters come November.
For example, in Georgia -- we’re sounding the alarm about what went wrong earlier this month when voters were forced to wait in line for hours and hours. [5] And, we’re fighting a voter suppression bill in the Georgia legislature that would make those problems even worse.
We blocked a similar bad voting law in Ohio. [6] But now, the legislature has adjourned for the summer without any proactive plan to protect voters this November -- leaving Common Cause Ohio and our Election Protection partners to fill the gap.
PLUS... after Pennsylvania voters were given too few polling places during the primary, we’re using every tool available -- legislation, litigation, and grassroots advocacy -- to make sure county boards of elections get the funding they need to run an open and fair election. [7]
Friend, holding a national election during a pandemic is an unprecedented challenge for our democracy. We’re up against partisan, political operatives -- the RNC has budgeted $20 million specifically for anti-voter litigation. [8] And, the President of the United States is actively spreading misinformation about the reforms -- like vote-by-mail -- voters will be relying on in November. [9]
That’s why Common Cause has dramatically increased the volume and scope of our plans for the 2020 election. Tens of millions of voters will be casting absentee ballots for the first time -- and our top priority is making sure America’s election systems are ready for them and able to accommodate safe, in-person voting.
Your urgent Protect The Vote 2020 contribution will help us expand into the states where our work is most sorely needed. We're already halfway to our $200,000 goal thanks to one Common Cause member's generosity -- can we count on you to help get the rest of the way with a contribution of $3 or more?
Our right to vote is the foundation of our democracy -- and Common Cause is ready to ensure every eligible citizen can exercise it. That work has taken on new importance -- and met new challenges -- during this unprecedented election. But I know with your help, we will prevail.
Thanks for all you do,
Karen Hobert Flynn, President
and the team at Common Cause
[1] https://prospect.org/politics/some-problems-as-new-yorkers-go-to-the-polls/
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/kentucky-braces-for-possible-voting-problems-in-tuesdays-primary-amid-signs-of-high-turnout/2020/06/19/b7b960ce-b199-11ea-8f56-63f38c990077_story.html
[3] https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/kentucky-primary-election-democracy-voting-rights-covid-1019253/
[4] https://www.commoncause.org/press-release/kentucky-primary-offers-lessons-that-must-be-addressed-before-november/
[5] https://www.commoncause.org/georgia/press-release/statement-by-aunna-dennis-executive-director-common-cause-georgia/
[6] https://www.commoncause.org/ohio/democracy-wire/testimony-opposing-oio-house-bill-680/
[7] https://www.commoncause.org/pennsylvania/press-release/election-protection-coalition-details-election-day-challenges/
[8] https://www.vox.com/2020/5/8/21251839/vote-by-mail-voting-laws-republicans-costs-supreme-court
[9] https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/app-politics-section/donald-trump-mail-in-voter-fraud-fact-check/index.html
