November, 03 2020, 11:00pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ian Weiner, idweiner@lawyerscommittee.org, c. (443) 694-1028
Lacy Crawford, lcrawford@lawyerscommittee.org, c. (252) 292-6088
New Lawyers' Committee Public Hotline Map Publicizes Hotline Usage and Voter Protection Efforts
Voters will now have updated information for their local jurisdiction.
WASHINGTON
The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in partnership with VoteAmerica and U.S. Digital Response, has published a new 866-OUR-VOTE Hotline map, enabling the public to track calls received by the Election Protection national hotline in the days leading up to the 2020 Election. The map will be an effective tool for identifying problems at the polls, documenting the prevalence of voter intimidation and better understanding voter education needs brought upon by the global pandemic.
"This new hotline map will give voters an up-to-date overview about calls to Election Protection hotline in their local jurisdiction and across the country, which is extremely valuable to every American who wants to have their voice heard," said Rance Graham-Bailey, election protection manager at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "Voting is a sacred civic duty, and all Americans deserve to know what is happening in their community. This tool will help provide greater transparency around our elections and ensure Americans have their voice heard."
Viewers will be able to select a time range, can view tickets as either the total number of tickets received, or as a percentage of calls per 1 million registered voters and can select several issue categories to view what the calls were about. These categories include general voter concerns, health and safety at the polling place, intimidation and electioneering, polling place access and issues with polling place technologies.
You can now view the map here.
The Lawyers' Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar's leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity - work that continues to be vital today.
(202) 662-8600LATEST NEWS
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that he will not end the military occupation of Lebanon even if it tanks US President Donald Trump's peace deal with Iran.
"As long as I am prime minister, we will maintain the security zone in southern Lebanon," he said, referring to Israel's occupation, which has cleared about one-fifth of the country of its inhabitants.
About 1.2 million residents have been displaced by Israeli attacks and forced evacuation orders since March as part of a military campaign that's killed about 4,200 people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
As Trump seeks an end to his war with Iran, the Iranian delegation has stressed that it must be peace "on all fronts," including Lebanon, which was outlined in the memorandum of understanding that has served as the basis for ongoing negotiations.
Behind the scenes, Trump has reportedly fumed that by ramping up attacks on Lebanon, Israel is trying to sabotage the deal and drag the US back into war.
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Echoing the prime minister, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the Israel Defense Forces were "not withdrawing" from Lebanon "even if there is an American demand to do so."
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has attempted to thread the needle by claiming on Wednesday that "the Israelis have been clear they don't have any quarrels with the Lebanese people, nor do they have any claims on the territory of Lebanon."
But this was undercut somewhat by Katz's statement on Wednesday that the 200,000 civilians whom Israel ordered to leave southern Lebanon "will not return" to their homes because of the risk they allegedly pose to Israeli soldiers.
"Soldiers in, residents out," Katz said. "The infrastructure is destroyed, the houses are dangerous and ruined. We are not withdrawing."
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"The Israelis are going to continue testing what they can get away with," said Rania Khalek, a journalist for BreakThrough News, on social media. "Iran was very clear that a deal with the US is dependent on a ceasefire in Lebanon."
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The Intercept's FOIA request came amid mounting evidence that, "by using photos, video, license plates, hotel check-in information, and more to create a database of lawful protestors, the government may be taking concerning action affecting the rights of those exercising their First Amendment rights," as plaintiff's counsel Democracy Forward noted in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
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Democracy Forward noted that "in a separate court case, a civilian observing ICE submitted a declaration stating that her [Transportation Security Administration] PreCheck and Global Entry were revoked three days after an encounter with immigration enforcement officials."
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A federal judge on Wednesday blocked portions of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last year that required Americans to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
US District Court Judge Denise Casper ruled that Trump's March 2025 executive order establishing proof-of-citizenship requirements was illegal because the US Constitution explicitly gives states the power to implement elections, with some oversight and input from the US Congress.
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