My name is Chiquita Jackson, and I am the Election Protection Coordinator for Common Cause Maryland. I am a recent graduate from Columbia College of Missouri (B.S ’20), where I studied Political Science, Sociology, and Pre-law. I have interned for several elected officials, including Kansas’s first African-American state Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-KS), the youngest State Rep Jewell Jones (D-MI), and U.S Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). During my time with Sen. Cardin, I assisted with drafting congressional floor statements for Black History Month and Women’s Suffrage’s centennial anniversary. 

I’ve helped draft public policy recommendations with well-known organizations like The Aspen Institute and The Leadership Conference. My dedication to fighting for social justice was amplified during my time as the inaugural IGNITE National Detroit Fellow, where I created spaces for young women to come learn how to be politically educated and involved. Additionally, I am involved in many programs that align with my efforts to advocate for marginalized and underrepresented communities. These groups include Young People For (YP4), B.A. Women Alliance, PLEN, the Henry Clay Institute, among other involvements. I aspire to become a civil and human rights attorney and, one day, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

As a Black Woman, I know that, for underrepresented communities, voting has always been stressful because of the strict voting laws and gerrymandering that contribute to voter suppression. Growing up in poverty, I have witnessed the lack of participation in voting-focused opportunities by many people in my community, and my family. This is why voters need to be adequately informed about their voting rights and other useful information to make the 2020 November elections historic for our communities. 

Maryland’s election is — Tuesday, November 3rd. And I’m ready to work with the CCMD team to make sure every voter can be heard safely without endangering public health. 

Most importantly, I want to ensure that you have all the information you need to vote safely, whether by mail, absentee ballot, and in-person. 

Make a plan to vote by November 3rd.

Confirm that you are registered to vote and that your address is up to date before the October 13th deadline.

Planning to voting-by-mail?

Request your ballot today! The sooner you request your ballot, the much easier processing requests will be for our local boards of elections, helping to avoid a huge mass of mail-in ballot requests near the October 20th deadline.

If you can’t make your request online, ballot request forms have been mailed to every eligible voter in the state. A return envelope with prepaid postage has also been provided. If you did not receive your form in the mail, you can access them online in both English and Spanish. If you need assistance requesting a ballot, contact your local board of elections office.

Once your application is received, you will be able to track it through the State Board of Elections voter lookup tool. And don’t panic if you don’t receive the ballot right away! SBE won’t begin to send them out until September 24th.

Planning to vote in-person?

Early voting will be available from Monday, October 26 to Monday, November 2. Locations will be open from 7am-8pm, with early voting centers also open on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 3rd. Voters will be able to vote at any vote center in their county of residence. The list of early voting centers will be made available soon.

If voting in person, be sure to follow CDC guidelines: wear a mask, bring your own black pen, and be prepared to wait in line while observing social distancing guidelines

Have any questions or problems voting, either by mail or in-person?

Call the nonpartisan “Election Protection Hotline.” Volunteers will be able to answer your questions. English-speaking voters can call 866-OUR-VOTE for assistance Monday-Friday between 10am and 6pm, and during voting hours on November 3rd. Help is also available in Spanish (888-VE-Y-VOTA), Arabic (844-YALLA-US), and Asian languages (888-API-VOTE).

Take Action!

We’ll be monitoring polling places across the state during the early voting period and on Election Day — while following social distancing guidelines to ensure that election day voting is conducted safely and fair. To join the Maryland Election Protection team, click here.

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Maryland is known for creating trailblazers like Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, among others who fought hard to ensure social equity and equality. This November election will no doubt look different than previous elections. Still, we’re working with state and local officials to  do everything we can to ensure every eligible voter in Maryland can vote safely and securely. 

Be well, and please reach out if you have any questions or want us to present at your next meeting. I can be reached at cjackson@commoncause.org