We Can Protect Democracy Even as We Safeguard Our Health

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WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, our Voting Rights Task Force co-chairs, and more than 150 organizations including Campaign Legal Center (CLC) called on Congress to fully fund and direct states and counties to administer the 2020 elections in a safe, fair, and accessible manner. The groups advocated for the implementation of vote-by-mail, the expansion of early voting, and viable in-person voting options. 

“Congress must provide states with at least $4 billion to prepare for the 2020 November and primary elections, and time is of the essence. In the last coronavirus response package, Congress provided only $400 million to states for election assistance. While a step in the right direction, that sum will defray only a fraction of the costs associated with implementing the necessary adjustments to safeguard the electoral process. In its next package, Congress must provide at least an additional $3.6 billion to help states prepare for 2020 elections amidst the COVID-19 crisis,” the groups wrote.

“Although large numbers of Americans will vote by mail this year, in-person voting options remain essential for the 2020 elections to be truly fair and accessible. In-person voting is still necessary, notwithstanding the challenges posed by COVID-19, because many communities in America simply will not have full and fair access to the election without in-person voting options and for others it is their preferred option,” said the groups.  “Accordingly, we must provide safe and effective in-person voting options, in order to prevent disenfranchising any American.  Unless we do so, marginalized communities will be locked out of this election."