Jack, the nonstop barrage of voter suppression schemes hitting us on the national, state, and local levels is a coordinated attack on our democracy.
Republicans are sure they can steal the election by making it all but impossible for Democratic-leaning voters to access the ballot box. Thankfully, progressive organizations on the frontlines are already working to mitigate the worst of the attacks. Here are a few ways civic engagement organizations are fighting back:
- In North Carolina, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) is litigating to ensure that every vote is counted. During the March primary, nearly 15% of mail-in ballots were thrown out, many for issues that could be addressed. Last week, a federal court ruled that election officials cannot reject mail-in ballots without giving voters a chance to defend themselves.
- The New Georgia Project has started to recruit and train volunteers to act as poll monitors in 19 counties across the state. During the last few elections, these counties have experienced the closing of polling locations, not having enough ballots, prospective voters facing absurdly long lines, and more.
- In order to keep their organizers and communities safe from COVID-19, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) halted their immense door-knocking operation in favor of remotely training ambassadors to use mass-texting and virtual phone-banking programs. They have used the tools to help traditionally hard-to-reach voters in Milwaukee, WI request absentee ballots, provide information on how to slow the spread of coronavirus, change their address, and more.
This is the work that protects the right to vote in the face of attacks by Republican-packed courts and racially gerrymandered legislatures. We can't live in despair—there is too much work to be done. That's why Daily Kos is supporting 28 organizations in five crucial swing states who work in and with frontline communities year round. They know the specific challenges facing voters in their state and are building programs to meet the moment. Please give whatever is meaningful to you to help these incredible organizations protect the integrity of our elections.
Keep fighting,
Monique Teal, Daily Kos
Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612.
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