“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
FSFP Board Chair Ben Clements and President John Bonifaz Discuss Voting Rights with Acclaimed Broadcast Journalist Bill Moyers. Posted on October 30, 2020 Election Protection FSFP Board Chair Ben Clements and President John Bonifaz recently appeared on Moyers On Democracy with veteran broadcast journalist Bill Moyers to discuss voting rights in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and threats of voter suppression and voter intimidation. During the discussion, both guests spoke to the unprecedented nature of this historic election andRead More
Voting rights organizations express profound disagreement with judge’s decision to deny relief in voter intimidation lawsuit against President Trump Posted on October 30, 2020 Election Protection Washington, D.C. (Oct. 30, 2020)– Senior Judge Richard Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied a motion for a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and declaratory judgment filed by Free Speech For People on behalf of Mi Familia Vota Education Fund and two individual plaintiffs against President Trump, Attorney GeneralRead More
CAIR-MN, LWV Welcome Federal Court’s Halt to Planned Voter Intimidation in Minnesota Posted on October 29, 2020 (November 9, 2020) Election Protection Order Issued Against Private Mercenary Company and Its Chairman MINNEAPOLIS—Today, a federal district court judge ruled in favor of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, granting a preliminary injunction in a move that prohibits private mercenary contractor Atlas Aegis and its chairman Anthony Caudle from moving forward with its illegalRead More
FEDERAL COURT IN TEXAS REQUIRES ALL VOTERS AND POLL WORKERS TO WEAR MASKS AT THE POLLS Posted on October 28, 2020 (October 28, 2020) Election Protection Texas Governor’s Exemption for Polling Places From the Statewide Mask Mandate is Declared ‘Invalid and Void’ Voting Rights Advocates Celebrate ‘Major Victory for Democracy’ SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – A federal court in San Antonio, Texas issued a ruling last night requiring that all voters, poll workers, and poll watchers wear masks at the polls throughoutRead More