With millions voting now, democracy watchdogs stress voter protection • Nebraska Examiner

WASHINGTON — As the United States continues to see election-related violence and lawsuits challenging voter eligibility, a democracy watchdog group is aiming to make sure voters are protected when they cast their ballots.

A week before the presidential election, in which Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are vying for the Oval Office, the nonpartisan group Common Cause is rallying volunteers across the country to help Americans vote without obstruction.

“Right now, we’re seeing litigation that ranges from challenging voter eligibility to challenging completed ballots, challenging longstanding rules around elections, trying to clean up voter rolls,” said Sylvia Albert, a policy advisor for democracy and representation for the Common Cause during a press briefing on Tuesday.

“I think the most important thing to know is that this close to an election, individuals cannot rewrite laws on a whim or remove people from voter rolls — there is clear law to protect voters from such attacks,” she added.

Albert said the organization follows up on all cases where voters’ eligibility or their completed ballots are challenged and “works with partners to make sure someone is always at the table to protect voters.”

“But really, the message we want to send is that every eligible American should have the freedom to vote and make their voice heard, and voters should be confident that they should vote and to know he’s going to be counted,” she said.

Common Cause state leaders from Florida, as well as the swing states of North Carolina, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, also shared some election protection efforts and what they’re seeing in terms of anticipated voter turnout.

Virginia Kase Solomonpresident and CEO of Common Cause, cited thousands of election protection volunteers who have signed up and said more are joining daily. The organization co-leads Coalition for Election Protection.

“Our coalition is operating field programs in 42 states for the 2024 election,” she said, adding that “our election hotlines are open and already helping voters.”

The hotline number is 866-OUR-VOTE.

More than 51.3 million early votes had been documented as of Tuesday afternoon, according to University of Florida Election Lab early voting tracking tool.

Meanwhile, as fears of election-related violence in the US persist, two ballot boxes were set on fire this week in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon — destroying hundreds of ballots — and authorities believe the incidents are likely related.

Suzanne Almeida, director of state operations for Common Cause, said “we haven’t seen a trend coming out of the fires that we’ve seen earlier … that there are ongoing attacks on ballot boxes.”

Almeida noted that “postal voting is still incredibly safe” and “ballot boxes are still an incredibly valid way to return your ballot.”

“Actually, at this point in the election cycle, I wouldn’t recommend sending your ballot by mail,” she said, urging people to use a ballot box or other ballot return system instead.

Almeida also recommends that any voters in Washington or Oregon who believe their ballot was affected by the wildfires track their ballot online at the websites of local and state election officials.

“You should contact those election officials and get a reissued ballot,” Almeida said. “We are by no means too late to get those ballots … voted and counted.”