North Carolina
Hundreds of North Carolina A&T students marched 40 minutes to an off-campus early-voting site after unsuccessful protests and litigation seeking campus voting locations. Students at the University of Texas at Arlington organized transportation and a march after their polling place was removed, while New Hampshire students and voting-rights advocates challenged a law excluding student IDs. Students also organized rides, canvassing and Election Day outreach..
Democracy & Elections/Voting
Nonpartisan Voter Education/Engagement/Support
Litigation/Court Challenge
Peaceful Protest/Demonstration
Voting Access & Participation
Higher Education
Colorado
Voters in Colorado and Washington will decide citizen-initiated ballot measures that would restrict transgender girls and women from competing on girls’ and women’s school sports teams. Supporters used petition drives to bypass legislatures that had declined to enact similar restrictions. They argue that sex-based eligibility rules are necessary to preserve competitive fairness, athletic opportunities and privacy for female students. Washington organizers submitted roughly 445,000 signatures; Colorado’s measure also qualified through a statewide petition campaign.
Education
Ballot Initiative or Referendum Campaign/Signature Gathering
Peaceful Protest/Demonstration
Civil Rights & Anti-Discrimination
K-12 Education
California
Approximately 60 residents attended a Boyle Heights training on recognizing, documenting and reporting possible voter suppression. Participants were taught to encourage voters to remain in line, understand their First Amendment rights and report problems through appropriate channels. About 20 attendees signed up to monitor polling locations as neighborhood vote protectors. Similar trainings are being organized elsewhere in California.
Democracy & Elections/Voting
Nonpartisan Voter Education/Engagement/Support
Nonpartisan Election Observer/Monitor
Election Administration & Integrity
Voting Access & Participation
Multiple States
An interfaith coalition is training and certifying clergy members and lay volunteers to serve as “poll chaplains” and peacekeepers during the November 3 election. As of October 19, Faiths United in Saving Democracy said it had recruited 1,235 volunteers for polling locations in nine states. Participants receive instruction in de-escalation, immigrant rights and whom to contact when problems arise. Wearing identifying clothing, they plan to remain outside polling places, offer reassurance to voters and report possible intimidation or dangerous situations rather than intervene physically. The Associated Press
The initiative originated largely within the Black church but now includes Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Quaker leaders, along with secular participants. Organizers describe it as strictly nonpartisan: volunteers are there to protect people’s ability to vote, not promote candidates or challenge ballots.
Democracy & Elections/Voting
Nonpartisan Election Observer/Monitor
Voting Access & Participation
Missouri
The Missouri Voter Protection Coalition trains hundreds of volunteers to observe polling places and staffs the nonpartisan 866-OUR-VOTE hotline with attorneys and legal professionals. Volunteers help voters address accessibility barriers, misinformation, intimidation, identification questions and other problems while relaying operational issues to election officials.
Democracy & Elections/Voting
Coalition Building/Community Organizing
Nonpartisan Voter Education/Engagement/Support
Nonpartisan Election Observer/Monitor
Election Administration & Integrity
Voting Access & Participation
Multiple States
The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and its Black Women’s Roundtable launched the “Power of the Sister Vote” tour on October 13, the first day of early voting in Georgia. Organized with approximately 40 national and state partners, the campaign plans activities in nine states through Election Day: Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
The Black women-led effort seeks to increase participation among Black women, men, young adults and families through voter education, community outreach, early-voting events, phone banks, canvassing and election-protection training. Georgia activities included a tour launch at an early-voting location and scheduled poll-monitor training, rallies, phone banking and community canvassing. Organizers characterize the campaign as nonpartisan and focused on helping eligible voters obtain the information and support needed to participate.
Democracy & Elections/Voting
Coalition Building/Community Organizing
Nonpartisan Voter Education/Engagement/Support
Voting Access & Participation
