It seems that Donald J Trump has done one good thing, and given his absolutely abysmal track record, that’s saying something. But since he took office, the American Civil Liberties Union has seen a staggering growth in membership — from 400,000 to now two million members. With that growth have come enough donations to make it possible for the ACLU to implement plans regarding potential pitfalls awaiting voters on November 3.
During a live web event on October 14, the ACLU Executive Director, Anthony Romero, and former Attorney General Eric Holder talked with Rebecca Lowell Edwards, ACLU Chief Communications Officer about what the future holds in terms of their efforts to protect our voting rights.
Romero explained that part of their plan - which helps assuage some of my angst - is having drafts of legal papers ready to go to court on Election Day. For example, with the help of data analysts, they can heat map in real time down to a county level irregularities with absentee ballots. With offices in every state and lawyers ready to act, it will be a matter of filling in the blanks in the drafts and heading to court that day.
The ACLU is also prioritizing down ticket races that could have a real impact on civil rights and civil liberties. Romero listed several, including: Maricopa County, AZ; the mayoral race in Miami-Dade County, FL; the governor’s race in Montana; and both Gwinnett and Cobb County, GA local sheriff elections.
Regarding election results, Eric Holder advised that “We might not know the night of 11/3 or even the morning of Nov. 4. It might take a couple of days. Don’t listen to people who sow dissension, who raise people’s anxiety about ballot counting.” He said that he is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the election.
Romero concluded with a touching personal story about helping his grandmother to vote in southern Florida in the early 90’s. About her determination to vote, even as her son lay dying in the hospital. About arriving with her at the polling place only to discover there were no ballots in Spanish, although there should have been. (Voter suppression, anyone?) About convincing the poll workers to let him accompany his grandmother into the voting booth so that he could translate for her. He concluded with “it takes a whole village to protect this democracy.”
Perhaps Rebecca Lowell Edwards summed it up best: “Together, we are an undeniable, unstoppable force for good.”
Yes, we are.
Update: Here is the link ACLU Virtual Town Hall Voting Rights