NAACP launches voter intimidation report form for Election Day
With millions of voters set to cast their ballots on Tuesday, the NAACP announced a new program to monitor voter intimidation at polling places across the nation.
The voter incident report form will track and respond to voter suppression tactics, as well as flagging potential legal action that can be taken.
“Every eligible voter deserves the opportunity to cast their ballot, period,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
“We’re calling on every voter to speak up if they witness or experience any illegal attempts to disenfranchise voters. Together, we will defend our democracy and ensure that all ballots are cast and counted. Everyone must go out and vote today. So much is at stake.”
Reports can be sent to the NAACP’s voter protection hub. There, a team of legal professionals in the organization’s Office of General Counsel will review the reports and determine what actions to take.
Concerns of voter intimidation at polls have been on the rise. A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll found 2 in 5 voters were worried about intimidation this year.
Voter intimidation incidents have also been on the rise, particularly in swing states. In October, armed militia were reportedly standing around ballot drop boxes in Arizona.
Arizona officials had also asked the Department of Justice to investigate a potential incident of voter intimidation after a group of voters said they were followed and filmed dropping off their ballots in Maricopa County.
Meanwhile, in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reported that a local group was training volunteers to carry guns and monitor drop boxes with hidden cameras.
And voter suppression has also become a hot-button topic in states across the country.
Just last month, the Brennan Center for Justice reported that lawmakers in 21 states have passed at least 42 restrictive voting laws, with 33 laws that could affect the midterm elections. Many restrictive voting laws disproportionately impact Black voters.
In a statement, Janette McCarthy Wallace, the NAACP’s general counsel, said the voter incident report form will be a useful tool to “empower” voters and “provides us with the information necessary to address any illegal attempts to undermine our election.”
“Your voice is critical today — go out and vote,” she added. “Your vote can be a meaningful difference in your community.”
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