Free Speech For People joined a coalition of voting rights advocacy groups, led by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, to recommend measures that protect voting rights and public safety in response to COVID-19. In a letter addressed to Congress, Governors, and state officials, the coalition urged government officials to ensure that voting processes in 2020 remain fair, accessible, and safe.

“We recognize the gravity of the circumstances, and fully appreciate the work federal, state, and local officials have undertaken in the past few weeks to protect the public from this pandemic…We propose a number of steps elections officials must take so that remaining primaries, and the general election on November 3, 2020, occur without causing undue risk to public health or disenfranchising any eligible voter,” the letter said.

This follows news that states, including Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio, postponed their elections due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. The coalition’s letter goes on to recommend specific measures to protect voting rights amidst the pandemic, which has been exacerbated by the President. 

The recommendations address:

• Voter Registration
• Early In-Person Voting
• Voting by Mail
• Polling Place Adjustments
• Voter Education and Combating Misinformation

Read the entire letter here.