Landmark Settlement Between Voting Rights Advocates and Private Security Company Charged with Voter Intimidation Featured In Minnesota Star Tribune. Posted on February 18, 2021 Election Protection The Minnesota Star Tribune recently published a new article on a recent landmark settlement in a lawsuit brought by voting rights advocates against a private security contractor, Atlas Aegis, for illegal voter intimidation in Minnesota. The advocacy groups sued Atlas Aegis, a Tennessee-based company, for voter intimidation after it posted a job advertisement last OctoberRead More
Federal Court Approves Landmark Settlement Between Voting Rights Advocates and Private Security Company Charged with Voter Intimidation. Posted on February 16, 2021 (February 16, 2021) Election Protection Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota reach an agreement with Atlas Aegis to settle a Voting Rights Act lawsuit via a consent decree. (MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 2/16/21) — A federal judge today approved a sweeping settlement in a lawsuit brought by voting rights advocates against aRead More
FSFP’s Statement on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s Vote to Adopt the Federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 Posted on February 10, 2021 (February 11, 2021) Election Protection Today the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) voted to adopt the federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0. We recognize that the VVSG 2.0 represents many significant steps forward to improve the security, resiliency and accessibility of federally certified voting systems. We are pleased that the federal guidelines will finally ensure software independence in certifiedRead More
FSFP Senior Advisor on Election Security Susan Greenhalgh Discusses Last Minute Changes in Federal Voting System Guidelines. Posted on February 9, 2021 (February 10, 2021) Election Protection FSFP Senior Advisor on Election Security Susan Greenhalgh was recently featured in a new Politico article highlighting cybersecurity concerns in an ongoing debate about wireless networking hardware in voting machines. The article references the federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG 2.0), which was recently amended by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission behind closed doors toRead More
“Recklessly Naive;” Citing Cybersecurity Concerns, Computer Science and Election Integrity Experts Oppose Last Minute Changes in Federal Voting System Guidelines Posted on February 8, 2021 (February 9, 2021) Election Protection In a letter to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Free Speech For People, and a coalition of more than 20 computer science, cybersecurity, and election experts warn of the serious security dangers of permitting devices capable of connecting election systems to the Internet in federally certified voting systems. In a companion letter, Free Speech ForRead More
Free Speech For People Submits Comments to New York State Board of Elections Opposing Certification of the ES&S ExpressVote XL. Posted on January 14, 2021 (January 14, 2021) Election Protection As the New York State Board of Election considers Election Systems & Software’s (ES&S) application for certification for its ExpressVote XL in New York, Free Speech For People submitted public comments opposing certification of the all-in-one ballot marking device and vote tabulator. Free Speech For People is legally challenging the use of the ExpressVote XLRead More
Victory! Facebook Will Add Protections For Georgia Election Workers. Posted on December 15, 2020 (December 17, 2020) Election Protection Facebook recently announced that the company is working to enroll poll workers in the Facebook Protect program, in line with a coalition’s demands to provide added protections to election workers in order to prevent disinformation and violence in Georgia amid the upcoming Senate runoff election in January 2021. Free Speech For People was a memberRead More
FSFP Issues Report Summarizing 2020 Election Protection Work Posted on November 19, 2020 (November 19, 2020) Election Protection Free Speech For People served as a leading force in the country this year in fighting to defend and expand voting rights and to protect the November election. The following is a summary of our key accomplishments in this field. They include: 1. Extending the voter registration deadline in Arizona FSFP filed federal lawsuits inRead More
Progressive Organizations Hold Pro-democracy “#CountEveryVote” Events Across the Nation Posted on November 4, 2020 (November 4, 2020) Election Protection Washington, D.C. – Today, a network of national and local organizations are holding #CountEveryVote events across the nation as a show of confidence by the American people in our democracy. Events will take place in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Oakland, San Francisco, Kenosha, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Eugene, Portland, Seattle,Read More
Voting Rights Advocates Condemn Court Ruling to Exempt Polling Places from Statewide Mask Mandate Posted on October 30, 2020 (November 20, 2020) Election Protection Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issues order staying the district court’s ruling which had required all voters, poll workers and poll watchers to wear masks. SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 30, 2020) – Days after a federal court in San Antonio, Texas issued a ruling to require all voters, poll workers and poll watchers to wearRead More