Tuesday was Primary Election Day in North Carolina and the first test run of our Election Protection Project for Hope Springs from Field PAC. Combining the data from our own Incident Reports as well as two other non-profit election reporting databases, we had identified 36 polling locations in 11 counties with historical patterns of late openings or intermittent closings (eg, for lunch or bathroom breaks) or were accused of Voter Suppression during the Democratic primaries. These became our target test cases.
Our first interest was whether or not all 36 polling places opened on time. This may seem to be a quibble, but many voters want to vote first thing, generally on their way to work. And there was a line (albeit short lines) at all 36 locations. Fortunately, they all opened up on time and voting proceeded relatively smoothly.
We got poll watcher credentials (this is the reason Hope Springs from Field PAC is registered as an independent federal political action committee instead of a Super PAC or 501.c.3) for 14 of the 36 locations. But at all 36 locations we set up an Election Protection table where voters could report an election difficulty they have inside the polling place.
Of the 14 polls where we placed poll watchers, 3 of them were heavily scrutinized. Poll watchers have to provide their names to other poll watchers and election officials, and they have to be registered to vote in the county where they are serving as such. These were predominantly African-American polling locations and every person that asked for our poll watcher’s identification was white. It is hard to know for sure, but the scrutiny they received is ominous. But that’s why we did these tests, to help shape our general election Voter Protection strategy.
The biggest problem, though, was not the exchange of identifications but the fact that our poll watchers came with Incident Reports and filled them out every time another poll watcher asked for their credentials. We use this form to allow reports to be uniformly entered into a database. But they seemed to create a bit of paranoia from some people who thought they were there to scrutinize the activity of “others” and not to be scrutinized themselves. We also had one “runner” who refused to provide his name to the judges, and did not return the rest of the day.
What does this portend for November? I can’t really say that right now, but I can say I was glad we choose to do this.
But other than “complaints” about “outside” poll watchers being too “aggressive” about documenting the names and manners of other poll watchers, everything went pretty smoothly on Tuesday. One pastor who is a part of our alliance with Black Churches in North Carolina knew one of the more “belligerent” (his word) GOP poll watcher and we made a note of that. But True the Vote made its presence known in these very African-American, and fairly weary, communities.
And here’s what is important to understand about this experience of poll watchers inside these polling locations. If their presence made some people uncomfortable during the primaries, one would hope that it would act as a deterrent for the general elections in November. I don’t have to tell anyone here the attitude of Donald Trump about votes from people who don’t look and think like him. Maybe nothing will happen in November, we can’t be sure of that right now. What we can be sure of is how Trump and his Republican supplicants are acting right now, with regard to 2020, January 6th and the Pennsylvania primaries.
Hope Springs from Field PAC is knocking on doors and partnering with local civics and civil rights groups awareness of the fact that Democrats care about our voters and are working to protect their rights. We are thinking about how to mitigate Voter Suppression efforts, get around them and make sure we have "super compliance," both informing and helping our voters meet the requirements and get out and vote. We are taking those efforts to the doors and gathering locations of the communities most effected (the intended targets or victims) of these new voter suppression laws.
Obviously, we rely on grassroots support, so if you support field/grassroots organizing and our efforts to protect our voters, we would certainly appreciate your support:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2022electionprotection
Hope Springs from Field PAC was started by former Obama Field Organizers because field was the cornerstone of our success. Election Protection was central to the Obama primary effort in 2008 because we were running against a party favorite with strong roots in state and local party organizations and we needed to appeal to voters outside that framework. We are returning to the old school basics: repeated contacts, repeated efforts to remind them of protocols, meeting them were they are. Mentoring those who need it (like first time and newly registered voters). Reminding, reminding, reminding, and then chasing down those voters whose ballots need to be cured.
In polling locations with historical patterns of voter intimidation and/or suppression, we are establishing outside observers (teams which will not need nor receive poll credentials) to be placed at the entrances of these polling locations. In each of these, 2 or 3 people will man an Incidence Table from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m, generally in 4 hour shifts. Some had someone present during peak voting times who have legal training and black ministers served as part of their volunteer base.
The support teams for poll watchers served as pre- and post- voting alert and reporting functions so that voters who see something can say something. But the primary function of these very visible observer stations are also to let voters and those with ill intent to know that we are there. Voters will have more confidence that they can vote in November without being harassed if they know we were there in the primary. And this does matter. Voters need to feel they can cast their ballot without feeling threatened.
We did two things that have proven to be more popular than expected. Election Protection tables set up selfie areas that were well-used by voters after they voted. Maybe this shouldn’t be a surprise, but it was, at least to me.
The other thing that surprised me was the North Carolina tradition (at least among in some Black Churches) of holding a first time voter party for those in their congregations who cast their first vote. Some of these (7) are taking place tonight, and more are being held tomorrow. These, I am told, aren’t particularly big but the honor a rite of passage that “needs to be recognized.” Several of our Georgia volunteers saw these signs and asked, Why can’t we do this?
Hope Springs from Field PAC is trying to reinstitute best field practices, such as canvassing with people who look like the voters we are talking to and targeting former voters thrown off the rolls. But we have also want to adopt best practices we find “out in the wild,” like these first time voter parties. But because we study and teach field work as a profession, we bring in skillsets and tactics that may be new to the Democratic party regulars as well as activists in the area. But it is a two way street. That’s why it is so important to start developing Election Protection strategies now, and not wait until a couple of weeks or so before the general election. We have a lot of work to do. Can you help?
If you are able to support our efforts to protect Democratic voters, especially in minority communities, expand the electorate, and believe in grassroots efforts to increase voter participation and election protection, please donate:
secure.actblue.com/donate/2022electionprotection
Thank you for your support. This work depends on you!