For the 7th Year, Kansas Election Protection Going Strong
The ACLU of Kansas, in partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Stinson LLP, and Loud Light, will continue its nonpartisan 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and on-site volunteer program this election
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 4, 2024
CONTACT: Esmie Tseng, Communications Director, ACLU of Kansas, [email protected]
OVERLAND PARK, KAN. – The statewide, nonpartisan Election Protection program responding to voter issues in Kansas will enter its seventh year this election.
The program, led by the ACLU of Kansas in partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Stinson LLP, and Loud Light, consists of a voter assistance telephone hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) and an onsite volunteer program of nonpartisan poll monitors at voting locations throughout the state who are available to observe and document any issues at the polls.
“We’ll continue to work with election officials to make sure voting is as safe and accessible as it should be for every Kansas voter,” said Kunyu Ching, Staff Attorney of the ACLU of Kansas. “Most of the issues we anticipate are as simple as someone being at the wrong polling location because they moved and didn’t update their information. We’re also prepared to address and escalate more serious issues, such as an election worker with a misunderstanding about the law, or voter intimidation by a third party trying to prevent someone from voting.”
“We are thankful for the time and hard work of the many dedicated election workers across the state,” said Ching. “But issues may pop up, and that’s why we’re here. If voters have any questions or issues with registering to vote, voting early or by mail, or voting on Election Day, they should notify the hotline so we can assist or investigate.”
Election Protection Hotlines:
- ENGLISH: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- SPANISH/ENGLISH: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
- ASIAN LANGUAGES/ENGLISH: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
- ARABIC/ENGLISH: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Calls to the Election Protection hotline are logged in a database, tracked for trends, and flagged for follow-up when necessary. All voters are encouraged to call the hotline to report any issues or questions, even ones that are resolved at the time without intervention but nevertheless could indicate a trend or issue potentially affecting others. The hotline can also be contacted through text or through WhatsApp and Facebook.
Any organization may include the hotline phone number(s) on its materials.
Hotline assistance is available during business hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. leading up to and including the general election (Nov. 5, 202), the three days following Election Day (Wednesday through Friday), and some days of the week until mid-December. After-hours calls are directed to voicemail and promptly returned.
The ACLU of Kansas, Stinson, and 866-OUR-VOTE will integrate collected data from the four hotlines to track systemic issues and to address those issues in real time. In past years, information from the hotlines has reinforced the importance of the voting process at the local and state levels.
More information about Election Protection and various Know Your Voting Rights resources are available at www.aclukansas.org/ep.
# # #
About the ACLU of Kansas: The ACLU of Kansas is the statewide affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Kansas is dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For more information, visit our website at www.aclukansas.org.
