Creating an Election Protection Program in Your Community
Election Protection 2006 will focus more intensely on fewer locations to provide more effective, efficient assistance to voters throughout the voting process from registration through Election Day. While the hotline and legal documents will continue to support a national Election Protection program, the coalition will target four states for extensive on-the-ground legal and field support and provide direct assistance to programs in several additional states. Important election information, including the Bills of Rights for all 50 states, will be provided online.
Although we target specific communities for extensive Election Protection outreach, we know voting problems happen all over the country. Even if you do not live in one of our targeted states, there are plenty of ways you can get involved with Election Protection in your community – and plenty of voters who can benefit from your help! We need your help to monitor problems in other communities and help voters navigate the voting process.
We will create a Legal Toolkit for non-targeted states to help you create an Election Protection program that will fit the needs of your community.
You can start by reaching out to other members of the legal community. Potential resources for recruiting Local Legal Coordinating Committees (LLCCs) as well as volunteer lawyers for Election Day include: local minority bar associations, and in particular, local NBA chapters; Young Lawyers Division of local bar associations; law firms; friends who are lawyers.
You can also meet with organizations in your area who are conducting voter registration drives, everyone from churches to local environmental organizations. Just remember that all aspects of Election Protection are non-partisan, so you cannot coordinate with any political parties or candidates.
Check back soon for Part I of the Legal Toolkit.