2121 Search Results Containing ":"
VICE News: The US Eliminated Nearly 21,000 Election Day Polling Locations for 2020
“Putting all your eggs in one basket seems like a very bad idea—and it’s avoidable. We’ve seen what happened in the primaries,” said Sylvia Albert, the national director of voting and elections at the good-government organization Common Cause. ... Even in states that have dramatically expanded mail voting, cuts to in-person Election Day voting sites could lead to disenfranchised voters — and could disproportionately impact poor and nonwhite voters as well as younger voters who are less likely to live at the same address they did in the last election. “You cannot fault voters for being hesitant about vote-by-mail. Obviously I think it’s a great option, but that’s what it is — an option. Voters should be able to choose whichever way they want to vote,” said Albert, Common Cause’s national director of voting and elections.
Found in: Common Cause
The Guardian: Latinos the targets of election disinformation – but activists are fighting back
There are several types of digital voting disinformation, such as giving the wrong time, place or manner of voting, according to democracy watchdog Common Cause. And during Covid-19, when normal routines are disrupted, online disinformation tactics are “much more believable and have a greater impact today than any other election cycle”, said Jesse Littlewood, vice-president at Common Cause, in a webinar.
Found in: Common Cause
Reuters: In Pennsylvania, Trump touts the economy and warns of 'Biden depression'
“We’re holding our breath, and I’m concerned about lines at early voting places,” said Jay Heck, executive director of the nonpartisan voting rights group Common Cause in Wisconsin. “Every area - red counties and blue - there seems to be a lot of enthusiasm,” he said in reference to counties that lean toward either of the parties.
Found in: Common Cause
MONEY: How to Support Voting Rights and Protect our Elections: A Guide for Where to Donate Money
Common Cause manages grassroots voter protection field programs for the Election Protection coalition mentioned above. It works with organizations in all 50 states to identify election reforms at all levels of government, including expanding vote-by-mail and ensuring safe in-person voting with strict public health and social distancing guidelines. The organization has recruited more than 35,000 volunteers during the 2020 election through its Protect the Vote program (four times more than they saw during the 2016 election), according to its national media strategist David Vance. Common Cause also has an online tool to help people quickly find their representatives, how to contact them, bills they’ve introduced, committees they’ve served on and political contributions they’ve received to ensure you have all the information needed to vote.
Found in: Common Cause
Washington Post: Voter confusion rattles election officials in Pennsylvania near Monday’s deadline to register
Suzanne Almeida, acting executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said she is aware of the technological challenges voters are facing as they try to register online and has petitioned the state to address it. “There are things that DOS [Department of State] can do to make sure those people are registered, and my understanding is they are taking those steps,” she said, adding that the situation is “not perfect” and is “the kind thing that could make it more difficult for folks to register to vote. For someone who is on the fence, they may decide not to bother.”
Found in: Common Cause
New York Times: How Prepared Are These 7 Battlegrounds for the Election? A Readiness Report
While that ruling is likely to draw an appeal, any prolonged legal uncertainty for the absentee ballots could threaten a voter’s opportunity to cure the ballot in time. “The longer a voter says, ‘Oh I turned in my ballot, it must be good,’ when they do finally hear from the county, they might be more suspicious about it, considering how much disinformation there is going around,” said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, a voting rights group.
Found in: Common Cause
Newsweek: Pennsylvania Could Be 'Florida of 2020' With Post-Election Day Court Battles, Lawyers Warn
Suzanne Almeida, the interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan organization that advocates to expand access to voting, told Newsweek that the "pattern of litigation" seen in the state in recent months is unlikely to end with Election Day. "We know that Pennsylvania is certainly in the center of the bullseye when it comes to this election. With new voting laws, and a focus from both national campaigns, everyone is fighting for the state's voters. And we don't expect that to stop on Election Day," Almeida said. "We have already seen a pattern of litigation from both parties, but particularly President Trump's campaign where they are attempting to use the courts to clarify or in some cases rewrite election law in Pennsylvania," she added. "But at the end of the day the important thing is that every single vote counts and that voters have confidence in the result—whatever it is."
Found in: Common Cause
ABC News: 4 key battleground states reporting record-high coronavirus cases weeks from Election Day
"Voting is different during a pandemic and voters are going to need to take steps to protect themselves," said Catherine Turcer, the executive director for Common Cause Ohio, an organization dedicated to protecting and improving voters' rights and access to the ballot. "While the increased number of cases makes everyone nervous, we have some basic tools like masks and all Ohio voters who choose to vote in person are encouraged to wear a mask. The poll workers will have masks and PPE for voters who need them."
Found in: Common Cause
HuffPost: How Trump Got Played By The Military-Industrial Complex
Watchdog groups argue Trump’s handling of the hiring process is more evidence that lawmakers and future presidents must institute rules to limit the reach of military contractors and other special interests. “Given the hundreds of conflicts of interest flouting the rule of law in the Trump administration, certainly these issues have gotten that much more attention and are that much more salient now than they were four years ago,” said Aaron Scherb, the director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, a nonpartisan good-government group.
Found in: Common Cause
Newsweek: Donald Trump's Call to Militia to 'Watch' Polling Places Raises Fears of Voter Intimidation
However, even in states with open carry laws and no restrictions on guns at locations that host polling, such as churches and schools, prohibitions on guns prevail, according to Suzanne Almeida, interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania. "There are valid concerns now," Almeida added, "but we must let voters know about them without involuntarily discouraging them from coming to the polls." "We will have more than 1,000 volunteers at polling stations for questions, and to be eyes and ears on the ground and have voters' backs," Almeida said. "We make sure voters have a good experience."