John, former President Trump and some of his most ardent followers are already signaling their plan to sabotage the 2024 election.
We also know the same extremists will use the 2022 midterms as a trial run for schemes to undermine democracy in 2024 — which is why we’re preparing to fight back against last-minute attempts to sow confusion and chaos in this year’s elections.
Here’s the good news, John — all throughout this year’s primaries, we closely tracked how our election systems held up, with special attention paid to states like Georgia and Texas that have enacted new voter suppression measures since the 2020 elections.
And, I’m glad to report our strategy has already proven itself as our best chance to stop the MAGA Right’s all-out war on our rights.
Just one example: Common Cause Texas spent all year sounding the alarm about their state’s harsh new anti-voter regulations — which ended up causing tens of thousands of ballots to be rejected during the March primary.
But thanks to our around-the-clock efforts — and the partnerships we’ve forged with local election officials — rejection rates plummeted in the May runoff.
How did we do it? We reviewed the most frequent causes of rejected ballots under the new rules, and used that data to inform our public education through local media and social media. We showed voters how to track their ballots once mailed, and made sure our volunteers were ready to answer any questions voters had to make sure their votes could get counted.
And John, the results show our strategy works. But if we want to repeat that success in November, we need to majorly scale this effort up — just to keep pace with how much higher turnout we can expect in the general election compared to primaries:
… at least twice as many voters in Pennsylvania,
… at least three times as many voters in New Mexico and Texas, and
… at least four times as many voters in Indiana!
John, that means many voters will be encountering these new voter suppression rules for the first time this fall — which means it’s our job to be ready when they do.
Just one example: Millions of disabled, elderly, and immunocompromised voters rely on mail-in ballots subject to new rules this year. So we’re training volunteers to monitor social media for confused voters, ready to educate them with reliable and accurate information about the new requirements.
And cutbacks to mail-in voting also force more people to vote in person, running the risk of overwhelming polling places. In that chaotic situation, one of our Protect the Vote volunteers is often the difference between someone casting a ballot that counts, or going home in frustration.
Plus, in the partisan, hyper-charged environment leading up to the November elections, we expect baseless accusations and disinformation to be running rampant — along with the usual last-minute changes and dirty tricks designed to suppress marginalized voters.
John, I don’t want the story of the 2022 elections to be one of long lines, machine breakdowns, and unchecked voter intimidation. Our Protect the Vote 2022 volunteers will make sure it isn’t — by being there when it happens to make a real difference for millions of voters.
That’s why I’m so glad to see that even though this is a midterm, we’re seeing thousands of Common Cause members reach out to ask how they can support voters. It’s also why we need to be ready with a volunteer spot for each and every one of them — along with the training, legal, and technical infrastructure to back them up.
Just $50 will ensure we can add an additional volunteer where voters need it the most — training and supporting them through the remaining primaries, early voting, and Election Day. It’s one of the smartest investments you can make in defense of our democracy this year — and contributing this summer will make it go even further.
John, with a far-right movement mobilized against the idea of democracy itself, the results of this year’s elections could determine our right to choose our own leaders in the future. Can I count on you to help ensure every eligible voter has a say in that decision by sponsoring a Protect The Vote 2022 volunteer today?
John, We’re just months away from the start of early voting—and still have a dozen primaries ahead of us — which means we’re running out of time to field a mobilization that lives up to the challenge of this moment.
We can’t be caught scrambling at the last minute for additional staff and resources. And simply put, too many volunteers and voters are relying on us to leave things up to chance. I know we can count on your support.
Thank you,
Sylvia Albert, Director of Voting and Elections
and the team at Common Cause
P.S. Looking to join our thousands of volunteers and protect voters in your community? You can sign up at ProtectTheVote.net today>>
