John, I’m sure we could all use a little good news right now – which is why I want to give you an update on our massive Election Protection mobilization for this year’s midterms.
We are now several months into Protect the Vote 2022, our ongoing effort to make sure EVERY eligible voter can cast a ballot that counts this year – despite sinister efforts from far-right voter suppressors.
And thanks to overwhelming interest from Common Cause members like you, we are already making a HUGE impact for voters – even this early in the cycle.
That’s right: state-by-state, we’re building a vital training infrastructure to ensure that every volunteer has accurate and up-to-date intel on the latest election changes – and to empower voters to navigate new laws that are designed to silence them.
We’re preparing Election Protection programs in states like Colorado and Florida, analyzing post-primary data in states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and already preparing for the general election across the country.
These programs are led by our expert, on-the-ground organizers, working in the communities they know and love. They collaborate with local partners and our national team to analyze changes to election laws and procedures, track the latest threats to voters’ rights, and understand which voters are most at risk of being disenfranchised.
We pair that invaluable expertise with a team of volunteers out in the field who serve as voters’ first line of defense. Right now, we’re onboarding thousands of these trained non-partisan volunteers, spread across dozens of states – all of them dedicated to protecting voters.
What does that look like? It means…
…Stationing poll monitors at high-risk sites across the nation. These volunteers are there to spot and escalate site issues early – before they become big problems. They also work directly with voters who are having trouble casting their ballots and, if necessary, connect them with volunteer legal professionals who will help them be heard.
…Mobilizing roving monitors to travel between polling sites. Using their car or bicycle, volunteers check many different polling sites for compliance with signage and other setup rules. They also spot-check lines so we can spot unexpected problems, and have the training to assist voters if needed.
…Equipping social media monitors to report disinformation online. Some of the most insidious anti-voter efforts today are born in semi-private facebook groups – invisible to Google, but with countless eyeballs watching. Thanks to our training and tools, monitors can report these posts to our experts, so they can be removed and replaced with reliable and verified election information.
What makes our approach so effective is that we back that volunteer energy with expert training and tools to make sure no one falls through the cracks.
That’s why I’m writing to you today, John: we’ve already done so much, but I’m convinced we can go even further.
Despite being a midterm election year, there are still threats to our democracy – especially due to harsh new anti-voter laws passed in states across the country. The intimidation and confusion from these voter suppression measures can be countered, but it will take hard work and voter-by-voter efforts.
And we’re already seeing online disinformation that rivals what we saw in 2020, super-charged by Trump’s Big Lie and the coterie of extremist politicians seeking his approval.
That’s why I’m asking you today to help us continue expanding our Election Protection program, so that it meets the scale of the threat ahead. My volunteer team is telling me it takes $50 to train, equip, and support each of our volunteers. That’s just $50 to help potentially thousands of voters.
John, will you join me in making the commitment to protect voters across the country this year? Your early investment in our volunteer efforts could make all the difference, especially for those voters most vulnerable to disinformation and intimidation >>
John, the headlines may be disheartening some days – but I’m constantly uplifted by the excitement and dedication of our Election Protection volunteers. They’ve also seen the challenges facing our democracy and have decided to take direct action to be a part of the solution.
Let’s make sure that they have the resources and support they need to assist voters across the nation.
In solidarity,
Sylvia Albert, Director of Voting & Elections
and the rest of the team at Common Cause
