Protecting Our Vote – 2023

Disability Matters with Joyce Bender

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

#AdvocacyMatters

Protecting Our Vote – 2023

The November General Election is just 1 week away. This election is focused on local races, like school boards, judges, and city or borough level officials.

Local elections, such as school board elections, are crucial for the well-being of our communities.  They provide an opportunity for us to elect officials who will represent our interests and make decisions that affect our daily lives.  School board members, for instance, are responsible for overseeing education in K-12, have recently been engaged with book censorship, and deal with school budgets.  Similarly, local elections for city council members can significantly impact the quality of life in our communities.  These officials make decisions about policing, infrastructure, transportation, and other critical issues.

Local elections have often had a lower voter turnout than national elections.  However, this does not diminish their importance.

Even in local elections, we know there are still barriers to voting for people with disabilities.

To help, a national nonpartisan voter protection coalition led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in conjunction with partner organizations across the country, will provide assistance to voters now through Election Day. This includes comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting.

Legal volunteers will staff the non-partisan Election Protection hotlines live from 7:00 am until 8:00 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) to answer questions and assist voters.

#AdvocacyMatters

Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE to get voting help now through election day. Trained, non-partisan #ElectionProtection volunteers are taking calls now ready to help you vote. They can help you make a plan to vote, make sure you know your rights, and help you resist and overcome any attempts to suppress your vote.

Election Protection hotlines are in English, Spanish, Asian Languages and Arabic. For a complete list of all the hotlines, visit 866ourvote.org or www.disabilityrightspa.org  and click on today’s #AdvocacyMatters segment.

Links and Hotline Numbers

English/Text 866-OUR-VOTE/866-687-8683

Spanish 888-VE-Y-VOTA/888-839-8682

Asian Languages 888-API-VOTE/888-274-8683

Arabic 844-YALLA-US/844-925-5287

Chat with Election Protection immediately through 866ourvote.org.