National Campaign for Fair Elections

Lawyers’ Committee and Coalition Parnters Challenge Georgia Voter List Purge in Federal Lawsuit

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 6:35:00 GMT

On October 9th, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the ACLU Voting Rights Project and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational fund filed a lawsuit in Georgia on behalf of Cherokee County resident Jose Morales against Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, asking a federal court in Atlanta to halt the use of database matching procedures that inaccurately flag United States citizens as non-citizens, jeopardizing their attempts to register and vote.

New Website at 866OurVote.org

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:50:00 GMT

Election Protection has just launched a brand-new website at www.866OurVote.org. The new site is an excellent resources for voters, volunteers and leaders. Please check out the new website. We will be continually updating and improving it, so please bookmark it and keep checking back.

Visit www.866OurVote.org now!

Election Protection Legal Leaders Participate in 2008 Leadership Institute

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 1:19:00 GMT

This past Monday and Tuesday, legal leaders from across the country visited Washington, DC for a two day Election Protection Leadership Institute co-hosted by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Arnold & Porter LLC. Leaders participated in informational sessions and simulations geared towards developing a comprehensive understanding of the Election Protection program and its components. With topics ranging from Pre-November strategies and assignments to Litigation to Election Day protocols, our leaders were exposed to the entire breadth of the Election Protection program. The National Campaign for Fair Elections, along with the Lawyers' Committee, would like to thank everyone for attending - Election Protection will be able to assist hundreds of thousands of voters this season. It wouldn't be possible without you!

Virginia Students at Risk for Disenfranchisement

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:49:00 GMT

An article by Tamar Lewin in Monday's New York Times highlighted questionable guidelines on the Virginia State Board of Elections' website relating to students registering to vote. Jon Greenbaum, director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, was quoted as saying "What the state Board of Elections has on its Web site, to me, sounds like it is discouraging students from registering at their school address."

Click here for more information.

Promote the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline!

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:48:00 GMT

The Election Protection Hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) is live and fully trained volunteers are waiting to answer any questions voters have - no question is too big or too small. YOU can help voters in your area by printing out these flyers and handing them out, including them in your voter registration drives, and by telling your friends and family.

Click here for a full page flyer.

Click here for two half page flyers.

NYT editorial calls polling place problems �unworthy of the world’s leading democracy�

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 3:13:00 GMT

The New York Times published an editorial on Monday highlighting one of Election Protection's main concerns: problems at polling places. Adam Cohen's "No One Should Have to Stand in Line for 10 Hours to Vote" invites readers to consider stories of long lines and voter disenfranchisement, as well as the surprisingly simple (and in many cases easily solvable) situations that lead to polling place problems. Cohen's editorial maintains that "For the sake of the legitimacy of our elections, more voting disasters -- long lines, confusing ballots or unreliable electronic voting machines -- must be avoided... An election in which people have to wait 10 hours to vote, or in which black voters wait in the rain for hours, while white voters zip through polling places, is unworthy of the world's leading democracy."

Click here for more information and to read Adam Cohen's editorial.

The Clock is Ticking

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:48:00 GMT

Last week, the Washington Post published my Letter to the Editor expressing approval for the August 4^th editorial "Fear Mongers" which condemned the false allegations of widespread election fraud in Virginia. In addition to pointing out the detrimental effects of investigating unsubstantiated allegations, I warned that "without immediate action, the performance of our election system may fall short of voters' expectations," and suggested that procedures "should be streamlined so that no one wishing to vote is turned away in November." Together, we can provide fair and secure elections, but the clock is ticking.

Click here to read my Letter to the Editor.

New York Times �Endorses� Election Protection

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:00:00 GMT

The New York Times called Election Protection "an effort that anyone who cares about democracy should get behind" in an editorial on August 9^th. I was quoted in the editorial, saying "if there were the investment in voting infrastructure that there should be, we would be totally unnecessary." Unfortunately, that is not the case. According to the Times, "Until that happens - and until elections are run entirely by people who want every eligible voter to be able to cast a ballot - smart, well-coordinated volunteer efforts are crucial."

Click here for more information and to read the New York Times editorial.

NCFFE Director Offers Advice for Voters in Black Enterprise Article

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 4:29:00 GMT

In the upcoming election, large turnout is expected across the nation. In a Black Enterprise article featuring our own Jonah Goldman, titled "Going to the Polls," Tamara E. Holmes discusses solutions to some anticipated problems.

Click here for more information.

Washington Post Lambastes Virginia Party Chair�s �Rhetorical Hand Grenade�

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:20:00 GMT

The Washington Post published an editorial yesterday in response to the unfounded accusations of "voter fraud" made by the Virginia Republican Party chairman. According to the editorial, Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick claims that Virginia is experiencing "coordinated and widespread voter fraud," a charge unsubstantiated by election officials. Rather, the editorial claims that Frederick's goal is simply "to frighten prospective voters" in a "classic attempt to suppress votes."

Click here for more information and to read the Post's editorial.

Lawyers� Committee Supports Voter Registration

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 8:48:00 GMT

In an effort to support the large number of nonpartisan third-party registration programs, the Lawyers' Committee and its pro bono law firm partners have compiled comprehensive third-party voter registration guides for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These guides will help volunteers, organizers, and leaders navigate the complex rules that govern voter registration in each state.

Click here to access these state-specific third-party voter registration guides.

Reminding Lawmakers of Their Obligation

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:46:00 GMT

Barbara Arnwine testified before the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday regarding the Bipartisan Electronic Voting Reform Act. Arnwine testified that "It is critical that this essential issue be removed from politics. Fixing our nation's election infrastructure and promoting confidence in election outcomes is an American issue." She acknowledged that "up until now, much of this debate has been consumed by the excitement of political contests." Calling this a mistake, she emphasized the importance of thoughtful discussions of policy "removed from the bluster of politics" as critical to reform.

During her testimony, Arnwine used the data collected by the Lawyers' Committee and the National Campaign for Fair Elections throughout the 2008 primaries to highlight the problems faced by voters and to remind lawmakers of their "obligation to our democracy to provide an infrastructure where everyone eligible can participate."

Click here to read Barbara Arnwine's full testimony.

DOJ�s Report Confirms Illegal Hiring Practices

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 3:02:01 GMT

This morning the Justice Department released a report that confirms what many have been stating for the past year - that partisan politics factored into the hiring decisions of career prosecutors in clear violation of the law during Alberto Gonzales' tenure. The report does not, however, discuss the removal of several U.S. Attorneys or the actions undertaken in the Civil Rights Division by Bradley Schlozman and others. DOJ will be issuing its findings about those issues at a later date.

Click here for more information.

The Year The Youth Vote Arrives

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:01:00 GMT

Washington Post columnist, E.J. Dionne Jr. has an excellent piece in today's paper about the impact of the youth vote in the 2008 elections. This primary season has already seen a record turnout of voters age 18-29 and all indications point to those trends continuing in November. That is why the National Campaign has been hard at work with our coalition partners in the youth vote community to help protect the youth vote in November.

Click here to read Dionne's column.

Influx of Voters Expected to Test New Technology

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 2:31:00 GMT

Ian Urbina of The New York Times wrote an excellent column (with contributions from our very own Jonah Goldman) this week, "Influx of Voters Expected to test New Technology," highlighting many of the issues we're working on in preparation for November's elections.

A myriad of problems: new voting equipment, under resourced election systems, lack of properly trained poll workers, confusing ballot designs, ballot shortages, unnecessary purges, and many other issues could very well lead to long lines, confusion and chaos that will disenfranchise an untold number of voters.

Click here to read more.

Washington Post Notes “Bias in High Places”

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 4:35:00 GMT

The report mentioned in Jonah's post from last week is still in the news - the Washington Post published an editorial on Sunday calling the actions of former Justice Department employees "disgraceful." The Post claims that "According to the report, Ms. McDonald [a member of the three-person committee that screened applications] searched candidates' applications for ‘ 'leftist commentary and buzzwords' such as 'environmental justice,' 'social justice,' 'making policy,' or 'anything else that involves legislating rather than enforcing''; she also apparently punished membership in liberal organizations."

Click here to read the editorial.

Election Day on PBS

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 5:59:00 GMT

As part of its Point of View series, PBS is airing an excellent documentary, Election Day, this Tuesday, July 1^st at 10pm. Election Day is a fascinating documentary that gives viewers a first hand look at 11 stories from the November 2, 2004 elections. The documentary highlights the best and worst of our election system.

I had the honor of participating in a Roundtable on the Point of View website about the documentary. The discussion asked various election experts what they thought was the single most important reform that would improve the accuracy of, access to and efficiency of the election system in America. Click here to read the discussion.

Click here for the Election Day website.

By any other name�

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 6:59:00 GMT

A federal court in Florida has refused to stop the disenfranchisement of more than 16,000 of the state's residents because of how they spell their name. A press release by an Election Protection coalition partner, the Brennan Center for Justice, discusses the upholding of the "no-match, no-vote law" by a federal trial court.

The overly stringent law has been previously challenged in federal court and requires that the name written on a voter registration form must be identical to that found on record from their driver's license or social security number. The mistype of a single letter by an election worker is all it takes to disenfranchise a voter. As if that weren't enough, a voter cannot even produce an alternate form of ID to prove his or her identity.

For more information and to read the Brennan Center's release, click here.

Report Reveals Administration Played Politics with Voters� Rights

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:01:00 GMT

A recent report issued by Inspector General Glenn A. Fine and Office of Professional Responsibility chief H. Marshall Jarrett shed more light on a subject we've been covering over the past year, the injection of partisan politics into the Department of Justice for political gain (For more information visit our Playing Politics with Voters' Rights page). The report uncovers a program, started in 2002 while John Ashcroft was still Attorney General, to exclude applicants with Democratic or progressive leanings from the honors program. The honors program historically has been run by senior career officials, with the intent to hire 150 of the best law school graduates, regardless of political affiliation or ideological leanings.

For more information and to read Carrie Johnson's article "Report Says Partisanship Reigned in Justice Department Hiring Program," in Tuesday's Washington Post, click here.

AZ Proof of Citizenship Continues to Disenfranchise Citizens

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 3:52:00 GMT

97-year-old Shirley Preiss was recently told that, despite having voted in the past 19 presidential elections, she will not be able to register to vote in November because she is unable to meet Arizona's proof of citizenship requirement. A local news station reported, "Preiss said for someone who once lived in a time when women could not vote, the law is a step backwards. The former school teacher said she has voted in every presidential election since 1932."

Click here for more information and to read Preiss's story.

The Lawyers’ Committee Wins Landmark VRA Case

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:45:00 GMT

A special three-judge panel in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia today issued a landmark ruling upholding the reauthorization of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In a unanimous decision written by Judge David Tatel, the panel squarely rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, which extended for 25 years the preclearance requirement contained in Section 5 as well as other important provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

"We applaud the Court for validating the critically important decision of Congress to reauthorize Section 5. This multi-year effort was a top priority for the Lawyers' Committee and for the civil rights community as a whole and we could not be more pleased with the outcome," Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Executive Director Barbara Arnwine.

Click here to read the Lawyers' Committee's statement.

No More Double Bubble Trouble

Thu, 22 May 2008 9:48:01 GMT

Thanks in part to the great work of Los Angeles Election Protection, there is good news for LA County voters - no more Double Bubble confusion!

The February 5^th primary resulted in the disenfranchisement of many Decline-to-State California voters because they did not mark the bubble at the top of their ballot indicating in which primary they wished to vote. Aided by the advocacy of Election Protection coalition partners led by Common Cause and the California Voter Empowerment Circle (CalVEC), Los Angeles County was able to implement a plan to assess the intent of 47,000 voters and "rescue" and count their ballots within two weeks.

Now, the LA Times cites a Daily News report that the Double Bubble problem will be a thing of the past for the June 3^rd statewide primary:

Click here for more information.

National Campaign Joins National Network on Election Reform in Applauding Governor Sebelius�s Veto

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:06:00 GMT

The National Network on Election Reform, of which the Lawyers' Committee and the National Campaign are founding members, released a joint statement with the National Network commending Governor Sebelius for her veto of Kansas House Bill 2019:

"We commend Governor Sebelius for standing up to protect Kansans' right to vote. H.B. 2019 would have disenfranchised thousands of eligible Kansas voters by requiring them to show a government photo ID in order to vote and present a birth certificate, passport or naturalization papers in order to vote. It is estimated that approximately 107,000 Kansans lack a birth certificate or passport. In a time when our country is experiencing an overwhelming voter turnout, we should be discussing ways to ensure access to the ballot, not limit it."

C lick here to read the National Network's press release.

Georgia Counties Seek Tech-Savvy Poll Workers

Wed, 21 May 2008 2:25:00 GMT

Following up on one of the main issues seen in the Georgia Primary this year, poll workers having difficulty using the electronic poll books, the Georgia Election Protection Legal Committee met with local election officials in five counties to address the issue. Election Protection leaders used data collected during the February 5^th primary to highlight the urgent need to recruit new and younger poll workers who have a better understanding of new technology. After the meeting, election officials in Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Clayton counties announced a partnership with Georgia Election Protection to encourage young people to serve as poll workers. Their timely action, coming mere months after Super Tuesday, is one more example of how effective Election Protection can be at solving problems that disenfranchise voters.

Click here for more information.

Protecting the Constitutional Right to Vote for All Americans

Tue, 20 May 2008 11:09:00 GMT

This afternoon I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the protection of the foundational issue of America’s great democracy – the fundamental right to vote. Responding to the issue of in-person impersonation voter fraud, my testimony stated that “Our election system needs an overhaul and not with political solutions to non-existent problems – like requiring discriminatory photo ID requirements, but with common sense solutions to the real problems voters face.”

Click here for more information and to read my testimony.

BREAKING: Hans von Spakvosky Withdraws Nomination to the FEC

Fri, 16 May 2008 9:54:00 GMT

Hans Von Spakovsky, President Bush's controversial nominee to the Federal Election Commission, has just withdrawn his nomination, ending a confirmation battle that has lasted over a year. The National Campaign for Fair Elections and the Lawyers' Committee has been helping to lead the opposition to his nomination. We are pleased that von Spakovsky's efforts to use the levers of justice for partisan political gain while overseeing the Department of Justice's Voting Section will not be rewarded with a place on the FEC.

For more information about Hans and our efforts, please click here.

TPMMuckraker has more information on the withdrawal of his nomination.

Our Primary Report in the News

Thu, 15 May 2008 6:18:00 GMT

On Tuesday, the St. Louis American ran a story featuring Lawyers' Committee Executive Director Barbara Arnwine and the Election Protection 2008 Primary Report: Looking Ahead to November. Arnwine spoke about the report, saying it "demonstrates that most of the state and county and local election machinery was unprepared for a real heavy turnout...It really demonstrates that our democracy has deep fault lines and is not being administered well...We are not prepared. We actively count on a low voter turn out and count on voter apathy."

Click here for more information and to read the St. Louis American story.

The absurdity of punitive voter ID laws

Thu, 15 May 2008 4:13:00 GMT

Syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker offered a well-deserved sarcastic "Congratulations to the Indiana legislature" on Monday in her column Even God couldn't vote in Indiana without proper ID. Writing about the case in Indiana where a group of retired nuns weren't allowed to cast a ballot, Tucker argues that "If the absurdity of punitive voter ID laws - adopted in several states with GOP-dominated legislatures - was not apparent before now, this case ought to help all but the most partisan see the fallacy."

For more information and to read Tucker's article, click here.

New York Times examines the Myth of Voter Fraud

Wed, 14 May 2008 5:31:00 GMT

In follow-up to Ian Urbina's Monday article, the New York Times published an editorial yesterday commenting on The Myth of Voter Fraud. The editorial discusses bills requiring proof of citizenship requirements in Missouri and elsewhere, calling them an insincere "effort to prevent noncitizens from voting; that is a made-up problem. The real aim is to reduce turnout by eligible voters." The Times also indicates that the burden is now on "on state legislators, governors, state courts and ordinary citizens to ensure that the right to vote is not taken away for partisan political gain."

For more information and to read the article, click here.

Do you know where your birth certificate is?

Mon, 12 May 2008 3:26:00 GMT

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision upholding Indiana's onerous voter ID law, national attention has turned to Missouri. An amendment to the state constitution has been proposed which would require proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, to register to vote.

Today's New York Times features an article by Ian Urbina, Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship, which examines the current debate surrounding the proposed amendment. I am quoted in the article saying, "Everyone has been focusing on voter ID laws generally, but the most pernicious measures and the ones that really promise to prevent the most eligible voters from voting is what we see in Arizona and now in Missouri."

Click here for more information and to read Urbina's article.

Indiana Voter ID Law Disenfranchises Voters, from Students to Nuns

Wed, 07 May 2008 1:58:00 GMT

As predicted, the strict voter ID law in Indiana resulted in what Lawyers' Committee board member John Borkowski called "an unnecessary barrier to the ballot box" which "disenfranchises legitimate voters." Borkowski witnessed firsthand an incident that was quickly picked up by national media.

The incident, reported by Election Protection, came to light when a group of poll workers, nuns at a local convent, attempted to help a freshman college student through her problems with Indiana's voter ID law. While they were helping her, they indicated that some of their fellow nuns also could not vote because of the photo ID law. Not only was this student disenfranchised, but so would be many of the retired nuns at the convent. Columnist Greg Gordon, writing for McClatchy Newspapers, picked up the story.

Click here for more information and to read Gordon's article.

Voter ID Remains an Issue as Voters Go to the Polls

Tue, 06 May 2008 1:28:00 GMT

As voters go to the polls in Indiana, the issue of voter ID remains at the forefront.

Politico published a piece by Ben Adler, ID law could depress black turnout in Ind., on Saturday, examining the potential impact of the Supreme Court decision. Adler advises that African-American voters "might be disproportionately affected in Tuesday's Indiana primary by the Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold the state's voter identification requirement." Adler also cites National Campaign Director Jonah Goldman, speaking about the real-life effects of such laws on minorities.

Click here for more information and to read Adler's article.

Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE on May 6th!

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 2:55:00 GMT

Attention Indiana and North Carolina voters: If you have any questions or encounter any problems at the polls on May 6th call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers will be staffing the hotline to provide voters with free live assistance if they encounter any problems at the polls. No question is too simple or too complex. In addition, mobile legal volunteers will be at monitoring targeted polling places in both states, and Election Protection will be in contact with election officials to solve problems as they happen.

Make sure you know your rights before you go to the polls on the May 6th by downloading the Indiana or North Carolina voters' rights flyers.

Please visit www.866OurVote.org for more information.

Lawyers’ Committee Sends Letter to Chairman Richie Addressing Irregularities in Texas Primary

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 2:30:00 GMT

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law recently issued a letter to Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie, expressing deep concerns over the problems and difficulties voters in Texas faced during the recent primary and Presidential nominating process on March 4, 2008. The state Democratic Party employs a complicated dual primary election-caucus system to apportion delegates to Democratic Presidential candidates. Throughout March 4th, the Lawyers' Committee, along with other members of the Election Protection coalition, worked together to run the national Election Protection Hotline (1-866-OUR-VOTE), and received numerous calls from Texans on Election Day. Over fifty percent of which came after the polls had closed and nearly a third of those calls came from voters reporting problems, confusion, and concerns about the caucus system. In addition to highlighting the problems with the misadministration and confusion regarding the administration of their complicated dual election-caucus system, the letter also urged the Chairman to amend Party rules to employ a less complicated and burdensome process.

Click here to read the letter.

Supreme Court�s decision on the Indiana ID Crawford Case in the News

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 8:16:00 GMT

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision upholding Indiana's voter ID law was all over the news today, and the National Campaign and Lawyers' Committee served as resources.

Ian Urbina's Decision is Likely to Spur Voter ID Laws in More States in today's New York Times quoted National Campaign Director Jonah Goldman, and NBC News Channel interviewed Director of the Lawyers' Committee's Voting Rights Project Jon Greenbaum about the Supreme Court's decision.

Also, the Washington Post and the New York Times published editorials this morning decrying the decision, calling it "a bad solution to a nonproblem," and "a sad reversal for a court that once saw itself as a champion of voting rights," respectively.

Click for more information and to read the full news stories.

Lawyers� Committee Disappointed with Indiana Photo ID Decision

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 6:11:00 GMT

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued a statement today expressing disappointment that the Supreme Court rejected a facial, constitutional challenge to Indiana's voter identification law in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board. However, the Lawyers' Committee notes that the Supreme Court left the door open for future constitutional challenges to voter identification laws.

Click here to read the Lawyers' Committee's full statement.

Pennsylvania Election Protection a Huge Success

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 4:38:00 GMT

The National Campaign was on the ground in Philadelphia and Pittsburg on Tuesday, April 22^nd for the largest single state Election Protection Primary program. Over 800 volunteers responded to more than 1,000 calls about issues ranging from machine malfunctions to voter intimidation and registration problems, while over 700 volunteers on the ground responded in real-time to reported problems, helping to ensure that Pennsylvanians were able to cast a ballot. Click here to read more about April 22^nd in Pennsylvania.

The Lawyers' Committee also released an updated version of its report, Election Protection 2008 Primary Report, Looking Ahead to November.

Also last week, Donna Brazile published an article in Roll Call, based off our Election Protection primary report, "urging Congress to help ensure that every voter, new and experienced, has a meaningful opportunity to exercise his or her right to vote."

Click here for more information.

Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE on April 22nd!

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:21:00 GMT

Attention Pennsylvania voters: If you have any questions or encounter any problems at the polls on April 22nd call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers will be staffing the hotline to provide voters with free live assistance if they encounter any problems at the polls. No question is too simple or too complex. In addition, mobile legal volunteers will be at monitoring targeted polling places in Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties, and Election Protection will be in contact with election officials to solve problems as they happen.

Make sure you know your rights before you go to the polls on the April 22nd by downloading the Pennsylvnia voters' rights flyer.

Please visit www.866OurVote.org for more information.

National Campaign releases Primary Report

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 5:28:00 GMT

With the Pennsylvania Primary less than a week away, the National Campaign released a report detailing Election Protection’s findings in this year’s primaries thus far titled, "Looking Ahead to November." The report highlights a range of problems experienced by voters this primary season, ranging from machine malfunction to voter intimidation. While each state has experienced different difficulties, there are some common obstacles that voters across the country faced. The report examines these obstacles, and offers recommendations for how election officials across the country can prevent many of these problems from occurring. Click here to read the report.

National Campaign submits voter protection info to U.S. House Committee

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:19:00 GMT

The National Campaign's Jonah Goldman submitted testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration yesterday highlighting our legal leadership in the Election Protection coalition during the 2008 primaries. Goldman's testimony included a compilation of reports and letters produced by and for local coalition partners to use experiences from the primaries to push for pro-voter election reform before November's elections.

Click here to read the testimony.

Caging in the News

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 9:58:00 GMT

The Politico has a story in this week's paper about Senator Whitehouse's Caging Prohibition Act, and uses the problems in Statesboro, GA as a backdrop.

Click here for more information.

Check out how busy we�ve been!

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:07:00 GMT

The National Campaign for Fair Elections has been hard at work protecting voters throughout this protracted primary season. Through our legal leadership of the Election Protection coalition, the National Campaign has been working hard to protect the rights of voters from Georgia to California. During the primaries on February 5^th, February 12^th, and March 4^th, Election Protection received over 5000 calls to the 1-866-OUR-VOTE hotline, recruited and trained almost 800 legal volunteers who answered over 100 phone lines in 7 call centers from coast to coast, and assisted voters on the ground at targeted polling places.

Please visit http://www.866ourvote.org/ to read the stories we've collected.

A Clean, Fair Fight

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 2:50:00 GMT

In the aftermath of the March 4^th primaries, The New York Times looked ahead to November and urged Congress to pass important election reforms - including the Caging Prohibition Act, a bill the National Campaign helped Senator Sheldon Whitehouse develop.

Click here to read more.

Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE on March 4th!

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 4:54:00 GMT

If you have any questions or encounter any problems at the polls on March 4th call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers will be staffing the hotline to provide voters with free assistance if they encounter any problems at the polls. In addition, volunteers will be at selected polling sites in Ohio and Texas.

Make sure you know your rights before you go to the polls on the 12th by downloading the flyers below.

Click here for Ohio voting rights information.

Click here for Texas voting rights information.

For more information about Election Protection please visit www.866OurVote.org.

Potomac Primary: Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:59:00 GMT

If you have any questions or encounter any problems at the polls on February 12th call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained volunteers will be staffing the hotline to provide voters with free assistance if they encounter any problems at the polls. In addition, volunteers will be at selected polling sites in Southern Maryland.

Make sure you know your rights before you go to the polls on the 12th by downloading the flyers below.

Maryland voters click here for information.

Virginia voters click here for informtaion.

District of Columbia voters click here for information.

Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE on Super Tuesday

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 5:21:00 GMT

If you have problems at the polls today call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained legal volunteers are ready to answer any question you may have.

The Supreme Court Should Not Uphold the Modern Day Poll Tax

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:34:00 GMT

Today the Supreme Court heard argument in two consolidated challenges to an Indiana law that requires in-person voters to show government-issued photo identification in order to vote. It is difficult to determine what a majority of the Supreme Court will decide in this matter. We can only hope that the Court will recognize the importance of the fundamental right to vote, as it did in finding the poll tax unconstitutional decades ago. Indiana's modern-day poll tax is just as wrong.

Click here to read more.

Another Case for the Deceptive Practices Bill

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 6:00:00 GMT

On New Year's Day the New York Times' Adam Cohen had an excellent piece providing further momentum for the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act.

Click here to read more.

Von Spakovsky Nomination Blocked by Senate

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 9:53:00 GMT

Great news, controversial FEC nominee, Hans von Spakovsky, had his nomination blocked by the U.S. Senate last week. Von Spakovsky's recess appointment is set to expire at the end of the year and, with the Senate on recess until the New Year, there appears to be no chance he will gain confirmation to a full term on this nomination.

Click here to read more.

More on Hans von Spakovsky

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:34:01 GMT

Over the past few months there has been a lot of debate and discussion concerning the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Elections Commission. The National Campaign for Fair Elections and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law strongly opposes his nomination because of the key role he played in the politicization of voting rights in the Department of Justice. Today, the Washington Post published a letter by Gerry Hebert of the Campaign Legal Center and me about von Spakovsky.

Click here for more.

Keeping Students Away from the Polls

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:56:00 GMT

The New York Times ran a great editorial on its website tonight expressing concern over suppression of student voters and highlighting the National Campaign's role in stopping suppression in Statesboro, Georgia.

Click here for more.

We won in Statesboro! Now help us win in the Senate

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 10:54:00 GMT

As we mentioned earlier, Bulloch County officials notified Georgia Election Protection leader Charles Lester that all challenges against student voters in Statesboro, Georgia have been withdrawn! The challenges were withdrawn, but the problem remains. The Caging Prohibition Act, introduced in the Senate, would make these blanket challenges illegal. Call your Senator at 1-866-459-1220 and tell them to pass the bill as soon as possible!

Click here to read more.

Victory for student voters in Statesboro

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:43:01 GMT

Victory! Georgia Election Protection leader Charles Lester was notified by Bulloch County officials moments ago about the withdrawal of all challenges against student voters in Statesboro, Georgia. This victory is due in large part to the work of Georgia Election Protection, the National Campaign for Fair Elections, and our partner the ACLU Voting Rights Project.

Click here for more information.

Lawyers’ Committee submits amicus brief to Supreme Court

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:03:01 GMT

The Lawyers' Committee submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the Indiana Voter ID case today, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (07-21) and Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita, asking the Court to strike down the law as unconstitutional.

Click here for the brief and more information.

Let�s stop voter suppression

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMT

A reprehensible voter suppression tactic, "caging," that has been used since 1958 could finally come to an end with a bill introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on Monday. The introduction of the Caging Prohibition Act of 2007 is another step forward in our campaign for fair and free elections. If the bill were law today, the students of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro would not have had to endure blanket challenges to their eligibility to vote.

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Statesboro challenges should be thrown out

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:45:00 GMT

After reviewing the 909 challenges against the eligibility of Georgia Southern University students, it became quickly apparent all challenges should be thrown out. All 909 challenges were identical and were based on personal information that the challengers could not have ascertained.

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GA Southern students threatened when trying to vote

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 8:34:01 GMT

For the past two weeks the students of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro have been the victims of challenges to their registration, threats, intimidation, and have faced police officers stationed outside and inside early polling places all because they had the nerve to want to vote in local elections. While the nation has been focusing its attention on the 2008 elections, the National Campaign for Fair Elections and the Lawyers' Committee has been hard at work this year protecting the rights of voters, most recently the students in Statesboro, Georgia.

Click here for the full details.

State ID wrapped in red tape

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 1:49:00 GMT

A powerful example of how voter ID laws place unnecessary burdens on eligible voters appeared in The Times of Munster, IN on Monday. Diane Pearson spent two days making four visits to two different Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches and making multiple phone calls to the BMV main office in Indianapolis before getting her 20 year old daughter, Christina, a state-issued voter ID card. Why was it so difficult you ask? Christina has Down syndrome, lives in a group home, and does not possess one of the state-required residency documents.

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Campus voting access not making the grade

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 6:16:00 GMT

Over the past few election cycles, students and young voters have become an increasingly active voting bloc. Unfortunately, several barriers to the ballot box exist for young voters, especially college students who live on campus. The Politico quoted me in a story yesterday on this very topic and I wanted to share it with you.

Click here for the article and more information.

Obama, Feingold Block von Spakovsky�s Nomination

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 6:48:00 GMT

In response to the overwhelming response from the civil rights community, Senators Barack Obama and Russ Feingold blocked a vote in the Senate on Hans von Spakovsky's nomination to the Federal Election Commission yesterday. The move by the two senators came at an opportune time because the controversial nominee was on the brink of confirmation.

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The Senate can still stop von Spakovsky nod

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 8:43:00 GMT

Today I sent a second letter, this time to the entire United States Senate, urging them on behalf of the Lawyers' Committee to oppose the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission.

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New York Times on Disenfranchising Voter ID

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:32:00 GMT

Today the New York Times issued an editorial discussing the upcoming term of the Roberts Court. While the editorial discussed several of the Court's high-profile cases, the discussion of Indiana's disenfranchising mandatory government-issued voter photo ID law stood out.

Saying no to Hans von Spakovsky

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 8:36:00 GMT

Hans von Spakovsky, the last man standing in the politicization scandal that has rocked the Justice Department, is about to be rewarded with a spot on the Federal Election Commission. Tomorrow, the Senate Rules Committee will decide whether or not his nomination reaches the Senate floor. The Senate must reject his nomination.

Today I sent a letter to the Senate Rules Committee opposing von Spakovsky's nomination.

Click here to read more.

Democracy? Depends who you ask.

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 1:40:00 GMT

It's the eve of a national election. Your phone rings. A voice on the other end informs you that your polling place has been changed. Oh, and if you show up to vote, you'll be arrested.

If this sounds like a bad dream, think again. In 2006, this particular example of voter harassment really occurred - along with countless other acts of deception and intimidation across the country.

Now, we have a chance to STOP the injustice and protect democracy, as the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act heads to the Senate floor for a vote.

Bad Ruling in GA Photo ID Case

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 8:50:00 GMT

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy ruled in favor of Georgia's voter identification law. By ruling in favor of this harmful law, the integrity of Georgia's election process will be undermined.

Deceptive Practices Voted to Senate Floor

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:21:00 GMT

Today we're one step closer to a true democracy! Just a few hours ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act out of committee - which means this critical legislation now goes to the Senate floor for a vote.

Shakeup at Justice

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:18:00 GMT

Alberto Gonzales resigned as Attorney General today after two and a half controversial years at the helm of the Department of Justice. The National Campaign for Fair Elections hopes Gonzales' departure, and the recent departures of Bradley Schlozman and Wan Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, marks the end of the era at the Department of Justice where politics trumped law enforcement- especially with regards to voting rights. President Bush's nominee to replace Mr. Gonzalez should respect the rule of law and bring accountability and stability back to the department.

Racial Justice in Cleveland Suburb

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 6:19:00 GMT

Racial equality in voting took one giant step forward in Euclid, OH, a suburb of Cleveland, this week when U.S. District Judge Kathleen O'Malley ruled the city's current system for electing City Council members violated the Voting Rights Act. Judge O'Malley's ruling is the culmination of an investigation I launched while still at the Justice Department in 2003.

Schlozman out at Justice

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 2:38:00 GMT

Paul Kiel at TPMmuckraker broke the story yesterday that Bradley Schlozman has left the Department of Justice.

UPDATE: Trial Date set for Georgia Voter ID Case

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 9:23:00 GMT

U.S. District Court Judge Harold L. Murphy has scheduled a "trial on the merits" for August 22, 2008. Judge Murphy will decide whether or not the state can implement its voter ID law.

Click here for more information.

Update: Voter Fraud Changes in New DoJ Manual

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Yesterday the Department of Justice answered Senator Feinstein's (D-CA) request for more information from U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about changes made to the federal election crime prosecution manual. Unfortunately, the Department of Justice's response was less than forthcoming.

Click here to read more.

Voter ID Rears Its Ugly Head in GA Again

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:00:00 GMT

This week I was in Atlanta for the National Bar Association conference. Wednesday morning I grabbed the complimentary Atlanta Journal-Constitution outside my hotel room room and was greeted with an all too familiar story - "Special vote to require photo ID." Following a recent Georgia State Supreme Court Ruling, Georgia Secretary of State, Karen Handel, announced voters in the state's September 18th special elections must present government-issued photo ID.

Lawyers’ Committee’s Greenbaum Testifies about EAC

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 4:01:00 GMT

Today, I gave critical testimony in front of the Committee on House Administration about the Election Assistance Commission’s suppression of two important election-related reports.

My testimony detailed the extent to which individuals at the Department of Justice went to suppress these reports for partisan-political gain. I also detailed many of the deficiencies within the EAC that have hindered its ability to provide appropriate apolitical, uniform guidance to the states and tens of thousands of local election officials.

Boston Globe in Support of Deceptive Practices Bill

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 6:15:01 GMT

Today the Boston Globe ran an editorial, "New Americans step forward", about new Americans and the importance of involving them in our electoral process. The editorial mentions that, while several organizations have setup voter registration drives at swearing-in ceremonies, it is important these new Americans are not mislead or threatened when they try to exercise their right to vote. An important remedy to this problem is the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act.

Overlooked in Gonzales Testimony: Voter Fraud Changes in New DoJ Manual

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 7:29:00 GMT

Amid all of the hype and attention surrounding Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, July 24, 2007, one very important issue for voting rights advocates was overlooked.

More Inaccuracies in von Spakovsky�s Testimony

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 4:09:00 GMT

More information continues to surface about the inaccuracies in FEC nominee Hans von Spakovsky's testimony to the Senate in June. As we've noted earlier, several career attorneys in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice have noted how von Spakovsky ordered changes in performance reviews to punish attorneys who disagreed with him or criticized his decisions.

More News on the Politicization of Voting Rights

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 4:04:00 GMT

The politicization of voting rights in the Civil Rights Division of the DoJ continues to stay in the news. On July, 19, 2007, McClatchy Newspapers reported Hans von Spakovsky reversed sworn testimony he gave during the Senate confirmation hearing for his nomination to the Federal Election Commission. Also, The Palm Beach Post, in a story on July 22^nd, used the one-year anniversary of Former Assistant Attorney General (and von Spakovsky's boss) Alex Acosta's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney in South Florida to highlight his role in allowing partisan politics to shape policy while he ran the Civil Rights Division.

Local Case May Trip Up FEC Nominee

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 2:47:00 GMT

A St Louis Post-Dispatch article, "Local case may trip up FEC nominee," features the Lawyers' Committee's Jon Greenbaum and Joe Rich detailing some of Hans von Spakovsky's partisan activities during his tenure when he served at the Department of Justice.

Playing Politics with Voters’ Rights

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 3:24:00 GMT

For over four decades, the Voting Section at the Department of Justice has enforced federal protections of American's civil rights. Over the past six years, that noble commitment has been usurped by a cynical campaign to use the infrastructure of voter protection for partisan gain. Similarly, the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which was created under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to provide unbiased guidance related to elections, has devolved into a tool to pass partisan disenfranchising policies like restrictive photo identification requirements.

The House of Representatives Passes the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Act

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 9:56:00 GMT

The Lawyers' Committee congratulates Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL), and the rest of our Congressional champions on the passage of the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act (H.R. 1281) today. The House's actions are a giant step towards making voter intimidation and harassment a thing of the past. The Lawyers' Committee looks forward to the bill swiftly reaching the floor of the Senate to ensure this important law is in place well before next year's crucial elections.

Defendant-intervenors File Opposition Brief in NAMUD No. 1 v. Gonzales

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 4:35:00 GMT

DOJ Career Professionals Respond to Misleading Testimony

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 2:22:00 GMT

Department of Justice Engages in Voter Suppression

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 2:29:00 GMT

Opposing the von Spakovsky Nomination

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 2:56:00 GMT

McConnell Amendment Fails in the Senate

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 2:32:00 GMT

Ninth Court of Appeals Upholds AZ Proposition 200

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 3:13:00 GMT

H.R. 1281 to Move to the Floor

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 6:28:00 GMT

Florida Felons Regain the Right to Vote in Florida

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 1:59:00 GMT

Kansas Voter ID Bill Fails

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 1:54:00 GMT

Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed in Iowa

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 1:37:00 GMT

Joe Rich criticizes politicization of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 6:42:00 GMT

NCFFE Supports Count Every Vote Act

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 9:30:00 GMT

An Agenda for America’s Voters

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 3:30:00 GMT

NCFFE applauds House Introduction of Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 9:53:00 GMT

Jonah Goldman on Kojo Nnamdi Show

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 10:59:00 GMT

Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:35:00 GMT

Maryland Election Protection Releases Report and Calls for Reform

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 9:14:00 GMT

NCFFE applauds Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:18:00 GMT

Newsweek.com features Lawyers’ Committee’s Barbara Arnwine

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:34:00 GMT

Testifying before EAC

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 7:40:00 GMT

Jonah Goldman testified before the U.S. Election Assistance Commission about the problems with the 2006 elections.