Nearly 3.7 million Floridians cast their ballots in the Aug. 23 primary election.

And Common Cause Florida was there to provide support to ensure every voter — whether they voted by mail, at early voting, or in-person on election day — had the support needed to cast their ballot.

This was my first election as Common Cause Florida’s program director, and I was blown away by the dedication and energy of our more than two dozen nonpartisan Florida Election Protection Coalition partners and hundreds of volunteers.

 Common Cause Florida co-leads the coalition, and, together, coalition partners:   

• Mobilized and coordinated 60 organizers and election experts across two dozen organizations
• Provided nonpartisan poll monitor training for 400-plus volunteers
• Staffed over 650 poll monitor shifts to help voters at the polls during early voting and on Election Day
• Fielded over 1,100 calls from people across 44 Florida counties on the 866-Our-Vote hotline
• Distributed voting rights information in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

We have long known that to build a democracy that truly is of, by, and for the people, we need to all pitch in to help voters navigate what can be a confusing process. That is true now more than ever, as we face unprecedented challenges with the rampant rise in voter misinformation and a divisive political environment.

Over two dozen Common Cause volunteers like you came forward to be poll monitors for the primary election, serving alongside volunteers like Gabriela, Jennifer and Maria from Mi Familia Vota.

HAPPY ELECTION DAY! Our colleagues in Florida offering protection to our voters to clarify any questions or doubts about the electoral process in Orange and Osceola counties 🍊✅ pic.twitter.com/nBroC6vquy

— Mi Familia Vota (@MiFamiliaVota) August 23, 2022

…and volunteers like Arlene  from the League of Women Voters and the Palm Beach Voting Rights Coalition.

We are going to need A LOT more help for the general election this fall, however.

Join us as we head into the midterms elections when we know the turnout – and the stakes – will be much higher.

We know there will be challenges to ensure everyone has unhindered access to the ballot. Anti-voter measures adopted over the past 2 years in Florida put unnecessary barriers to our well-functioning election processes. Confusion still greets our fellow citizens seeking to exercise their voting rights after completing felony sentences and the redistricting process changed voting districts and precincts for many voters. 

Sign up now to be a poll monitor with Common Cause and the Florida Election Protection Coalition here or join the thousands of others who are stepping up to fill critical roles as poll workers in their county supervisor of elections’ offices.

Every person needs to have equal access to the ballot box in order for us to have our democracy truly be for the people!