May 26, 2020

Democratizing Voter Protection

Access to the ballot gives Black and Brown communities power in the matters that affect their lives. State and local election officials that administer elections are critical players in ensuring access to the ballot. Year-round accountability with these election officials and following up on potential barriers is the only way to ensure smooth and inclusive elections.

Advancement Project continues to lead the charge for free, fair and assessable elections, learning from the failed election administration practices and partisan political practices from the 2000 election debacle. We have a permanent presence on the ground working alongside grassroots and faith based civic engagement organizations, which register, educate and mobilize the new majority. Advocacy with our grassroots partners created the framework for a modern voter protection vision, “Democratizing Voter Protection” which will train, and educate community members and grassroots organizations to work alongside election officials to find solutions to barriers to the ballot.

The Democratize Voter Protection Program helps build sustainable voter protection infrastructure, owned and operated by local grassroots groups. We train local volunteers who are members of statewide and local grassroots organizations to serve as the eyes and ears on the ground with immediate knowledge of new problems. Even more importantly, these voter protection captains use their local relationships and their power to fix problems as they arise. Through this model, will take voter protection to scale and build the expertise of local leaders.

In spearheading the Democratizing Voter Protection Program, Advancement Project:

Develops advocacy curriculum inclusive of how to host meetings with Election Officials.
Conducts trainings for Voter Protection Captains.
Attends local meetings with Captains as needed.
Supports captains and partner organizations in executing ongoing accountability efforts, including through policy, organizing, legal and communications strategies.

By democratizing voter protection in target states, Advancement Project will clear barriers to voter registration, address challenges faced by strict voter ID laws and assist Returning Citizens get back on the voter rolls.

Want to learn more about the Democratizing Voter Protection Program? Contact Chris Bufford at [email protected]. Become a Voter Protection Captain by completing the sign-up form below.

KEEP READING

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BREAKING: Court Denies Motion from Civil Rights Groups Challenging Georgia’s Voting Line Relief Ban August 19, 2022

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Hearing in Lawsuit Challenging Georgia Anti-Voting Rights Law Weighs Impact of Line Relief Restrictions July 18, 2022

GEORGIA — The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia will be hearing motions for a preliminary injunction in the consolidated litigation challenging SB 202 (In Re Georgia Senate Bill 202). This hearing will consider the “line relief” provision that criminalizes those who provide voters waiting in line with food and water, which disproportionately impacts communities of color in Georgia who face some of the longest waiting times at the ballot box in the country. SB 202 creates significant barriers for Black, Latinx and other voters of color…

Advancement Project National Office Condemns New Anti-Voting Rights Law in Florida that Creates Office of Election Crimes, Mandates Special Voter-Fraud Police Officers April 26, 2022

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Civil Rights Organizations Celebrate Decision in Florida Voting Rights Trial March 31, 2022

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker released a landmark decision today in the nationally-watched voting rights trial on Florida’s SB 90 bill to strike down key provisions of the law. This restrictive voting law passed by the Republican-majority legislature and Gov. DeSantis would have put in place new constraints on the use of drop boxes and organizations conducting voter registration drives, among other measures that would significantly hinder access to the vote for millions of state residents.

Trial Challenging Florida’s SB 90 Voter Suppression Law Begins Today January 31, 2022

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A trial challenging SB 90 (League of Women Voters v Lee), a Florida measure to make it harder and in many ways impossible for Black and Brown people to vote, kicked off on Monday, Jan. 31. This is one of the first trials of the year challenging anti-voting laws at the state level. It comes just as national voting rights efforts have stalled, with the Senate recently failing to change rules on the filibuster to pass voting rights. SB 90 was passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in spring…

Advancement Project National Office Statement on the Senate’s Failure to Pass Voting Rights Legislation January 20, 2022

WASHINGTON — Last night, the Senate blocked the Freedom to Vote John R. Lewis Act from advancing to a final passage vote. In response to this, Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of the Advancement Project National Office released this statement: “Last night, all 50 Senate Republicans and two Senate Democrats voted to maintain the filibuster and block the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act from advancing to a final vote. These bills would protect voters and undo many of the barriers and restrictions that bar thousands of Black, Latinx, Asian, and…

Advancement Project National Office: “Passing voting rights legislation will protect right to free, fair, and accessible elections” January 11, 2022

Washington, DC — In response to President Biden’s speech in Georgia today on voting rights legislation and the filibuster, Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project National Office, issued this statement: “While President Biden’s speech in Georgia today rings the alarm on voting rights, we need to put out the fire by immediately changing Senate rules on the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation. “The urgency of this moment cannot be understated. Black voters and other voters of color need concrete action on voting rights immediately. Over 400 state-level bills undermining the right to vote were introduced last…

Advancement Project National Office Applauds the Passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act August 23, 2021

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Congress Must Combat New Wave of Voter Suppression, Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act August 18, 2021

On Monday, the U.S. House Judiciary hosted a hearing on H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), discussing the need to restore federal oversight of elections in the wake of a new wave of voter suppression sweeping the nation.