1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to How to Citizen with barrattun Day, I show 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: where we reclaim the word citizen and use it as 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: a verb and learn how to wield our collective power. 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: I'm barrattun Day. In this episode, we are continuing our 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: focus on voting, that super expression of people power, and 6 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: we've been talking to folks who are on the front 7 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: lines of this issue in many different ways, and in 8 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 1: this episode we're talking to someone who's been a long 9 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: time warrior on behalf of people power. She has the 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: job that Third Good Marshall used to have. That's how 11 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,959 Speaker 1: dope and committed. She is. Her name Sherlyn Eiffel. Her 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: job President and Director Counsel of the n double a 13 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: CP Legal Defense Fund. I had the opportunity to virtually 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: join and meet Carolyn Eiffel during a voting of it 15 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: a few weeks ago. And when I tell you I 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 1: would do anything, she says, I mean it. If Charyln 17 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: Eiffel says, double check your voter registration, I'm triple checking. Actually. 18 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: If Charyln Eiffel says be patient on election Day and 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: beyond to wait for these results, I'm gonna be the 20 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: most patient, most zen, most calm person you can even imagine. 21 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: And if Charyln Eiffel asked me to take out her garbage, 22 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: I will do that. I will be at your place, Carolyn. 23 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: I will do this because I assume it is for 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: the benefit of the many. It is for the people, 25 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: and I know I'm right because I'm right about you. 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: In this conversation, you know Charylyn who breaks it down. 27 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: She says, we need to operate at the highest levels 28 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: of citizenship during this election. I love that phrase. She 29 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: reminds us of the history of efforts to deny and 30 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: suppress black people's votes, but also the history of overcoming 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: those efforts. Here's Cheryl and if President and Director Council, 32 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: which I might add is a very very dope job title. Hello, Hey, 33 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: how you doing. I am fired up, I'm ready to go, 34 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: I am tired, I am eager, I am impatient all 35 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: those things. How are you also angry? Yeah, you know angry. 36 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: I have my moments of disappointment, but you know, mostly 37 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: it's just you just have to keep fighting. Sherylyn. You're 38 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: at the double A CP Legal Defense Fund. This historic 39 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: institution been around since fighting on behalf of human rights, 40 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: Black rights voting rights. How has the history the legacy 41 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: of black voter suppression in the US evolved to what 42 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: it looks like now, you know, how is now different 43 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: from them. It's a bit of a loop back. But yeah, 44 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: I mean it's in just sing because I think people 45 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: now are talking about voter suppression as though almost it's 46 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: a new thing, Like people get that there was the 47 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: Edmund Pettis Bridge, there was the Voting Rights Act, and 48 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: then there was voter suppression you know, in fourteen and 49 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: fifteen and sixteen, you know, but that's actually not how 50 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: it works. As a matter of fact, my first sint 51 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: at the Legal Defense Fund was when I was a 52 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: year out of law school, after I finished a fellowship 53 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: at the A. C. L U. I joined then double 54 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: a CP Legal Defense Fund and litigated voting rights cases 55 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: for five years. That was in So we've been at 56 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: this for a very, very long time, you know. Third 57 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: Good Marshal's first huge Supreme Court win was in nineteen 58 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: forty four. It was a case called Smith versus all Right, 59 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: in which the Supreme Court struck down the use of 60 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: the all white primary election in the South. That was 61 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: Third Good Marshall's case, and really his first big Supreme 62 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: Court wins. That's nineteen forty four. We were founded in 63 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: nineteen forties, so that's four years after the organization was created. 64 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: And I say all of that because I think people 65 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: have truncated the arc of voter suppression and don't fully 66 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: understand that the effort to keep black people from participating 67 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: fully in the political process has been around forever and 68 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,119 Speaker 1: marked most of the twenty century, and now has come 69 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: back with intensity in the twenty one century. And the 70 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: intensity was created really by the Supreme Court's decision in 71 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: June Shelby County versus Holder, and that basically eliminated a 72 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: key portion of the Voting Rights Act of that had 73 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: been really effective in getting out ahead of voter suppression tactics, 74 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: and the elimination of that particular section kind of opened 75 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: up this new explosion of voter suppression and even worse, 76 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: allowed it to metastasize beyond kind of a regional problem 77 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: in the South into kind of every corner of the country. 78 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: And when you say voter suppression, you know, I have 79 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: images of a variety of tools and techniques in voting, 80 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: you know, removing polling sites to just drag out the line, 81 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: so people bail on the process, or to impose confusing instructions, 82 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: or to sue. Even there's this legal battles on the 83 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: other side of this. What is the map of voter 84 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: suppression techniques look like, Well, I think you've named some 85 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: of them. Voter persh is something that has really come 86 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: back into vogue as well, since you talked about moving 87 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: polling places, closing polling places, consolidating polling places, actions that 88 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: were taken even this week by the Texas governor restricting 89 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: the number of drop off boxes for absentee ballots to 90 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: one per county. This is a decision he made with 91 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: a stroke of a pen, just one person, deciding that 92 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: now there will only be one drop box for absentee 93 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: votes per county. That could never have happened under preclearance 94 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: prior to He would have had to submit his desire 95 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: to make that change to a federal authority, to the 96 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: Attorney General, or to the d C. District Court to 97 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: get approval. And when he submitted it, the Department of 98 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: Justice would have heard from organizations like the Legal Defense 99 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: Fund and other civil rights organizations, from local African American 100 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: and Latino groups describing the effect of the change on 101 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: them and most likely would have denied preclearance and prevented 102 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: the governor from imposing that new restriction without a lawsuit 103 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: ever having been filed. So the landscape is not only 104 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: the actual mechanisms of suppression, but the way in which 105 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: they are allowed to go forward. And we're running behind 106 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: them right filing cases, but they're already in place. And 107 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 1: so it's the full gamut that you talked about. Its 108 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: voter intimidation. You know, it is terrible voter id laws 109 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 1: that are targeted at African American and Latino voters. You know, 110 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: it's the full gamut. And it's an actual disgrace to 111 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: see the kind of active creativity that goes into trying 112 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: to keep sitizens of this country from voting. This will 113 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: sound naive, but I mean it sincerely on behalf of 114 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: myself and any listener. Why do you think people in 115 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: a democracy with these authorities would work so hard to 116 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: make it so hard to vote? Power power and white supremacy. 117 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: And I say that intentionally. I say those words very 118 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: intentionally because you know, in twenty four when I used 119 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: to talk about white supremacy in the context of voting. 120 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: In fact, at that point. We were challenging Texas voter 121 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: I D law that was the most restrictive voter i 122 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: D law in the country. It was passed right after 123 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County versus Holder. The 124 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: state kind of resuscitated a voter I D law that 125 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: they hadn't been able to get pre cleared, and it 126 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: was this law. And this law was regarded as the 127 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: most restrictive because it really was pretty explicit in shutting 128 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: down the kinds of government issued I D that you 129 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: needed to use to be able to vote, and so 130 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: identification forms that blacks and Latinos white be more likely 131 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: to have, or Native Americans might be more likely to have, 132 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: were now disallowed. But you could use a concealed gun 133 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: carry permit as your I D to vote. So we 134 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: litigated the case along with a number of other groups, 135 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: and the Federal Court found that the law was passed 136 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: with the intention of discriminating against black and Latino voters. 137 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: The same thing was found in North Carolina Omnibus voter 138 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: Suppression Bill. Federal Court finds that the North Carolina legislature 139 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: with surgical precision, that's the words of the court, with 140 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: surgical precision identified the provisions that would be likely to 141 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: suppress the black vote. Voter ID law in Wisconsin, same 142 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: found to be intentionally discriminatory. So what I was saying 143 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: then was that this was white supremacy, right. You know, 144 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: when legislators meet and decide they want to key some 145 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: of their own citizens, black and brown citizens, from voting, 146 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: and that they create provisions intentionally designed to suppress those votes, 147 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: that in itself is white supremacy. And people would clutch 148 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: their pearls when I would say this. We didn't start 149 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: talking again about white supremacy until Charlotte's film because people 150 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: think of white supremacy as being Nazi flags, marching torches, um, 151 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, terrible slogans and all of that is true. 152 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: That is a part of white supremacy. But there is 153 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: also a more genteel form of white supremacy, and that 154 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: is when elected legislatures dressed for work in their suits 155 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: and dresses and march into the state house, meet and 156 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 1: convene and pass laws designed to keep their fellow citizens 157 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: from voting based on race. So what is the reason 158 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 1: white supremacy? The desire to hold onto power? And it's ugly, 159 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: it's ugly. To say it. It's ugly for it to 160 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: be the truth, but it is the truth. And again, 161 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: it's the truth, not because Sheryl and Eifel says it's 162 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: the truth. It's the truth because a federal court in 163 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: Texas said it, because the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal 164 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: said it about North Carolina, because federal corton Wisconsin said it. 165 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: And so we have to confront that and be honest 166 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: about your organization operates in a number of states, and 167 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: I imagine you see things happening on the ground that 168 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: we might not get a view of if we're paying 169 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: attention to national media or in our particular state, depending 170 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: on where they are. What are you seeing, if anything, 171 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: with regards to misinformation and disinformation targeting the black community 172 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: right now? Well, I would say the biggest disinformation campaign sadly, 173 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: has been conducted by the President of the United States 174 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: around absentee voting. And we saw this in the beginning 175 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: of the summer. It became important this year because of 176 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: the COVID nineteen pandemic. We filed suits in a number 177 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: of states. We work mostly in the South. I think 178 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: people forget that the majority of black people still live 179 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: in the South. Black people live in the South, and 180 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: it's also the place, obviously where some of the most 181 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: intransigent suppression efforts and forms of white supremacy exist, although 182 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: certainly around the country and we do work outside the 183 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: South as well, But in any case, we began filing suit, 184 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: particularly in the South, because of the COVID nineteen pandemic 185 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: and because of our recognition that black and brown communities 186 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: were being hit incredibly hard and are hit incredibly hard 187 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: with COVID nineteen infection and death. And I was particularly 188 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: moved after the primary election in Wisconsin, which you may recall. 189 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: You know, there was a case that went to the 190 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. Spreme Court decided not to to hear it 191 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: to not disturb the fact that the Circuit Court had 192 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: put a stay on a decision by the district court 193 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: that there would be more time to return absentee ballots. 194 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: It was a very modest district court decision, but the 195 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: Supreme Court basically just ignored the reality on the ground 196 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: that this was going to mean that people had to 197 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: come out and risk their lives and the very weak 198 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: that the Supreme Court decided not to disturb the decision 199 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: that stayed the district courts. Expansion of early voting was 200 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: the same week that we learned that although you know, 201 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: the black population of Milwaukee is black people constituted of 202 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: COVID deaths in Milwaukee. So it was a week when 203 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: it was very starkly clear the toll that COVID was 204 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: taking on our community. And as you may recall, they 205 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: were there are these amazing pictures of the lines of voters, 206 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: of people wearing masks, and I was torn between my 207 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: absolute outrage and fury that people had to risk their 208 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: lives to vote, and also my sense of just admiration 209 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: and respect and humility that black voters were determined to 210 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: participate in the political process and came out to vote 211 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: with their masks on, standing in line for hours. But 212 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: we set about then filing these cases trying to expand 213 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: absentee voter opportunities in the South. We were attacking in 214 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: particular really onerous requirements like an Alabama, to file an 215 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: absentee vote, you had to get the signature of two 216 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: third party witnesses, plus have a copy of your government 217 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: issued photo I D sent in with the ballot. So 218 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: you have to interact with three other people, two people 219 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: designed ballot and somebody to get this copy. The Secretary 220 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: of State of Alabama said, well, they should just go 221 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: to Kinko's. So here it is. We have elderly black people. 222 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 1: Have you seen their grandkids, right, because they're suffering from COVID. 223 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: So we filed suit and actually just two weeks ago 224 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: we won in the trial court. We'll see what happens 225 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: with the appeal, but we won in the trial court 226 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: relaxing those requirements. But almost immediately at the beginning of 227 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: the summer, the President the United States started tweeting this 228 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: crazy misinformation about absentee voting, that absentee voting is fraudulent, 229 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: that it's illegal, that it's a plot of the Democrats, 230 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: which is it's actually ironic because Republicans mostly in the 231 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: past with the voters who used absentee voting. Um in fact, 232 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: the black population for the most part, had issued absentee 233 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: voting because black people actually like to vote in person. 234 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: You know, we have souls to the polls for early 235 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: voting that churches take up. It's part of our kind 236 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: of civic co l Sure, it calls to mind our history. 237 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: I meant, even I really like to stand in line 238 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: and and vote, and so Black people had not actually 239 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: been big absentee vote casters, but with COVID nineteen, we 240 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: thought it was important that we ensured that this avenue 241 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: was open, particularly for our elderly voters. And suddenly we 242 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: got this crazy misinformation coming from the President, which and 243 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: and NonStop he hasn't stopped filing suit in Pennsylvania against 244 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: the use of drop boxes and regularly giving people a 245 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: lack of confidence in absentee voting. And this was all 246 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: happening at the same time that quite suddenly the United 247 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: States Postal Service was under attack from the new Postmaster General, 248 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: and we were seeing all these delays in mail, and 249 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: we also have a suit, by the way against United 250 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: States Postal Service, So all of this was happening at 251 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: the same time. I think the effect has been what 252 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: you see actually this week, because we're already in the 253 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: general election, there are it's early voting happening all over 254 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: the place. You may have seen the incredible lines in 255 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: Ohio of people just standing in line to participate, we 256 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: saw in Illinois, are in Minnesota, we saw it in 257 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: Virginia the first day of early voting. People want to vote, 258 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: and they want to vote in person. People are also 259 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: sending in their absentee ballots. There's a record number of 260 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: absentee ballots that have been cast already for this general election. 261 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: But fighting through that misinformation about you know, absentee voting 262 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: as a legitimate, legal, safe form of voting has been 263 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: really a challenge this summer. Yeah, I don't know how 264 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: to keep up the energy. I'm exhausted just hearing that. 265 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: And I pay attention to this stuff. On the flip side, 266 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: you know, what is restoring or bolstering your confidence that 267 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: people will exercise their constitutional rights? And what are you 268 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: most excited about in terms of your own organizations work 269 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: to boost that confidence. You know, it's a crazy thing. 270 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: You end up in the most difficult time periods, and 271 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: if you're a civil rights lawyer, you know you're so 272 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: often talking about issues that people are ignoring or pretending 273 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: are not there. And then suddenly everybody is talking about 274 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: the very and they see it. Right. But you know, 275 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: the scales have fallen from America's eyes and people can 276 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: see it. So there is an excitement about that that people. 277 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: I don't have to explain to people what voter suppression is. 278 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: When I say that, people know exactly what I'm talking 279 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: about right, so that wasn't always true. So that's exciting 280 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: seeing people really do what we We have a campaign, 281 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: and we've had this campaign for years called Prepared to Vote. 282 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: So every year, because of course elections happen not every 283 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: four years, but every year, we launch a campaign called 284 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: Prepared to Vote. We do on the ground election protection work, 285 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: but we're always providing information before the elections so people 286 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: can be prepared because we really believe that, you know, 287 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: voting is not something you just wake up, you know, 288 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: the morning of election day and say, okay, I'm gonna 289 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: vote today, but you actually have to get yourself ready, 290 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: and this year more than any other because if you're 291 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: gonna vote in a person, you need ppe, if you're 292 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: gonna vote absentutey to apply for the ballot and so forth. 293 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: So seeing people do that, seeing people prepared to vote 294 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: has been amazing. We partnered with Lebron James on his 295 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: More Than a Vote initiative to try to get new 296 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: poll workers because once again COVID teen has meant that 297 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: poll workers who are mostly elderly. Most of our poll 298 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: workers are senior citizens, a quarter of them are over age. 299 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: Seventy poll workers are the nice people we see sitting 300 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: at the table when we come in, they check us in, 301 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: they make a sign, they give us, you know, polling 302 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: machine to go to, they give us the sticker that 303 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 1: says I voted. And but they're mostly elderly, and because 304 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: of the pandemic, we wanted to make sure that we 305 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,479 Speaker 1: were protecting our seniors, and so we really have been 306 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: putting out a call to encourage young people to become 307 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 1: poll workers, and so we joined with Lebron James is 308 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: more than a Vote campaign to do that. We started 309 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,880 Speaker 1: it three weeks ago and we've already signed up twenty 310 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: five thousand new poll workers. Thoud so to see people 311 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: responding to the call, especially for young people, responding to 312 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: the call to work the polls. You know, I've been 313 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: saying this is a time where we need to be 314 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: at our highest level of citizenship, and I feel like 315 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: that's what I'm seeing. The other thing is one of 316 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:54,679 Speaker 1: the you know, things I've been talking about for a 317 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: very long time, is the failure to pay attention to 318 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: local elections. So most of us go into voting booth, 319 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: we vote for the president or the senator, or the governor, 320 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: the mayor, you know, whatever other high salient selections. And 321 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: then if we look at ballots when we get information 322 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: back after the election, what we find is what we 323 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: call drop off, which means people vote for those top races. 324 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 1: Then they get to the d A race, they don't vote. 325 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: Then it says pick three judges, no votes cast. Then 326 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: it's the shriff election. People don't vote, So we have 327 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: that or we have people who vote in those elections, 328 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,959 Speaker 1: but they actually don't know anything about those candidates, right, 329 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: so they know a lot about who they want to 330 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: vote for president, maybe who they want to vote for 331 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: governor or senator, but they actually don't know about the 332 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: person who's running for sheriff, when in fact, the sheriff 333 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: is the person who's gonna make a decision about whether 334 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: they form a relationship with ICE and engage in immigration activities. 335 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: Is the person who evicts people, and we're looking at 336 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,239 Speaker 1: potentially millions of evictions over the next few months if 337 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: we don't get some serious COVID relief happening. So people 338 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: forget about those elections. People want criminal justice reform, but 339 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 1: they're not informed about who their district attorney candidates are 340 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: and what they stay and for, and so We've been 341 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: really pushing this issue of local elections, and I would 342 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: say this year it feels like the breakthrough year when 343 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: I hear people talking about local elections in ways that 344 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 1: I have never heard it before. I still say people 345 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: should pay attention to the Railroad Commissioners in Texas. I 346 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: haven't heard people talking about that yet, but they should. 347 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 1: That is that is a very important regulatory agency and 348 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: they run every six years. But I have heard people 349 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: talking about school boards, and I have heard people talking about, 350 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: you know, the city council, and I have heard people 351 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: talking about the d A races and that's very encouraging 352 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: as well. What are your calls to action to someone 353 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: listening to this right now, how can they help ensure 354 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: we have an actual, free and fair election. Well, the 355 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: first thing is to be informed when we are in 356 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: this like sea of misinformation. So we have the misinformation 357 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,719 Speaker 1: coming from the President about absentee voting, there's misinformation on 358 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: faith book. We don't know what the Russians are doing, 359 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: but we know that they are a huge threat, and 360 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: we know that they targeted African American voters on Facebook 361 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: more than any other group in the election, and so 362 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: we have to presume that that is happening right now. 363 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: So the first thing is to get good information and 364 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: rely on good sources of information. We have a terrific 365 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: micro site voting dot n a A c p LDF 366 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: dot org, voting dot ana A c p l d 367 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: F dot org, which is a kind of a one 368 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: stop shop and you can get all your information there. 369 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: So please stop passing bad information. Something you just heard 370 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: that somebody just sent you that you haven't actually ensured 371 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: is accurate, because our community really really needs to be informed. 372 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: So that's number one. Number two. Prepared to vote is real. 373 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 1: You have to make a plan to vote. So if 374 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: you are going to vote absentee, you need to request 375 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: that ballot. You need to look to figure out what 376 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 1: the rules are in your jurisdiction for returning the ballot. 377 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: What do you need to do, what do you need 378 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,719 Speaker 1: to have in it? Who can bring it back if 379 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: you decide you want to bring it back personally to 380 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: the Board of Elections. How does that. I've heard people 381 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,880 Speaker 1: saying things like, oh, I'm gonna go around and help 382 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: people get their absentee ballots that please don't help. Please 383 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: please check the law in your state because it may 384 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: be illegal right. States have different rules. In Louisiana can 385 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: only be a family member. In some places, the voter 386 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: has to actually by writing designate who can return the ballot. 387 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: So we don't want people making mistakes because we don't 388 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 1: want ballots not counted, and we don't want people prosecuted 389 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: for voter fraud on the other end of this election, 390 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: So that's important. Also, the prepared to vote also means 391 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: like preparing, like actually looking at the sample ballot for 392 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 1: your jurisdiction. One of the things that contributes to long 393 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: lines is when you go into the voting booth and 394 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: that's the first time you're reading the ballot initiative that's 395 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 1: on the ballot, or you're reading the bond issue where 396 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: they want to raise money for the library, or the 397 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: constitutional amendment, and so you're in there for fifteen minutes 398 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: slow reading this constitutional amendment for the first time. No, sir, 399 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: no ma'am, I need you to download that ballot, that 400 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: sample ballot a week before, two weeks before, and educ 401 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: hate yourself about what it is. So do you know 402 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: when you're going into the voting booth, who you're going 403 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: to vote for, what issues you're gonna go vote for 404 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 1: and against, and you're not learning while you know people 405 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: are standing behind you hundreds deep waiting to get into 406 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: the voting booth. And also because of the pandemic, do 407 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: you really want to spend a whole lot of time 408 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: in the polling place? Do you want to spend a 409 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: lot of time in the in the voting booth? No, 410 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: you don't make sure you have PPE. We put out 411 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,439 Speaker 1: a challenge to black churches to make sure that there 412 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,640 Speaker 1: should be no black voter standing in line. Who's saying, 413 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: I don't have a mask, I don't have gloves. We 414 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: have black churches on every block. I guess it's virtual 415 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: at this point, but that doesn't mean that they can't 416 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: help with PPE, and we've been happy to see churches 417 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: taking up the charge. So preparing to vote having PPE. 418 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: If you're gonna vote in person, either early or on 419 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: election day, bring your bottle of water with you. If 420 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: you feel like you need to bring a chair, bring 421 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: a chair, but be prepared to stand in line because 422 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: we're gonna see turnout levels like I think we've never 423 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: seen before. There is so much interest in this election 424 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: across the board, So you should be prepared to wait 425 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: and if you're voting absentee, you should be on it 426 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 1: already to make sure that your ballot can get in 427 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,199 Speaker 1: in time. The last thing I want to say is 428 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: we have real concerns about voter intimidation, and they are real. 429 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: Under normal circumstances, the recourse would be the Department of Justice. 430 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: This particular Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Bill Barr, 431 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: I do not believe will be responsive. What does voter 432 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: intimidation look like? What is your concern and how does 433 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: it manifest? Yeah, it can look like a lot of things. 434 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,959 Speaker 1: It can look like people who are challenging voters. And 435 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: you may have seen that this is the first time 436 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: in thirty years that the Republicans have been released from 437 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: a consent decree that they were bound by because of 438 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: voter intimidation activities they engaged in in some elections in 439 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: New Jersey in the nineteen eighties where they had people 440 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: come out who look like they were law enforcement, walking 441 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,479 Speaker 1: around the polls and frightening people. Frankly, so they were 442 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: under court order to cease and desist, and that consent 443 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: decree was just lifted this year. So it's the first 444 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: time in thirty years that that consent decree does not 445 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: cover that conduct, and imediately the the RNC announced that 446 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: they were trying to recruit fifty thousand people to be 447 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: outside the polls to question people about their status, about 448 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: whether in fact they are eligible voters. It's a way 449 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: of intimidating the immigrant community. So there's that they're the 450 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: people who approach people and ask them about their status. 451 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: Then there are people who are dressed as law enforcement 452 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:26,239 Speaker 1: or dressed as malicious in open carry states, who are 453 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: carrying weapons and who are outside polling places. Now there's 454 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: a rule that you've got to be a hundred feet away, 455 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: but think about the long lines that we're gonna see right, 456 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: They're gonna be lines extending past a hundred feet. So 457 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: the possibility of those kinds of individuals being close up 458 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: on people waiting in line to vote is very real. 459 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: Trucks of people caring Confederate flags is another one that 460 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: we see fairly often. So we expect all these forms 461 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: of voter intimidation to be an effect. And as I said, 462 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: normally what we would do is we would patch right 463 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: into the Department of Justice to the U. S. Attorney 464 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,959 Speaker 1: and that jurisdiction and expect some action to be taken 465 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: this year. We really need voters to get in touch 466 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: with us, and there's a civil Rights Election Protection hotline. 467 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: It's one eight six six hour vote one eight six 468 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: six hour vote. Oh you are vote um. And we 469 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: need people in real time. When you see something, say something, 470 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: we need you to call in. We need you to 471 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: reach out to the Legal Defense Fund tell us what 472 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: you're seeing so that we can get activated and get 473 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: local attorney generals and others activated to deal with the 474 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: issue of voter intimidation. That's gonna be really, really important. 475 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 1: And I will tell you that I'm also concerned about 476 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: intimidation after the election of people counting ballots, and so 477 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,479 Speaker 1: we're gonna be just vigilant through this entire process, and 478 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 1: we need everyone to be patient. We've asked a lot 479 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: of people to vote absentee. That means their votes should 480 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: be counted. Those votes are not counted on election day, 481 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: they're not counted on election night. They will be counted 482 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 1: on that subsequent week, and we want those votes to 483 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: be counted, and that means we have to be patient. 484 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: You know, I said the other night that you know 485 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: decision is not in the constitution that's a television show 486 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 1: that was created, you know, to gin up excitement about 487 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: election night. We don't have to know that night. We 488 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: need the votes to be counted. So I want to 489 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: make sure that our community is patient. There will be 490 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: a lot of noise of people trying to suggest that 491 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: something is wrong because we don't know who the winner 492 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: is on election night, or because all the votes haven't 493 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: been counted on election night. They're never all counted on 494 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: election night. We count military ballots the week following the election. 495 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,199 Speaker 1: We count provisional ballots the week following the election. So 496 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 1: I need everybody to just be very calm, be very 497 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: very patient, and really operated their highest level of citizenship. 498 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: That's the closing question citizenship. This show believes that the 499 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: word citizen should be interpreted not as a legal status, 500 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 1: no offense to the lawyer in you, but as a verb, 501 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 1: as a set of actions. And if you are to 502 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: interpret the word citizen as a set of actions as 503 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 1: a verb, how do you define what it means to citizen? 504 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:03,159 Speaker 1: To citizen means that you figure out some part of 505 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 1: your day every day that contributes to the democracy that 506 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 1: you want to see. And I think this is what 507 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: we have seen the last few years in this country. 508 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 1: I think people thought that democracy was some kind of 509 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: instant pop up thing that came into box and then 510 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: you're a democracy, and then it's over, and now you're 511 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: a democracy forever. Now we understand the fragility of democracy. 512 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 1: It requires active citizenship. It requires people who wake up 513 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: and believe that they should inform themselves with the best information. 514 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 1: It's people who have the number of their senator in 515 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: their phone, so that when you want the Senate to 516 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: act on something, when you want the Senate to act 517 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,199 Speaker 1: on a coronavirus relief bill, when you want the Senate 518 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: not to push forward a Supreme Court nominee during the 519 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 1: presidential general election, you can call that office right away 520 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: and you're not looking around for that number. We want 521 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: people who are in constant contact with their elected officials. 522 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: If you ever showed up at a school board meeting, 523 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: ask yourself why, if you never showed up at a 524 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: city council meeting, why why didn't you ever look at 525 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: the people that you voted for. Why didn't you ever 526 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 1: make them see you so that they could feel accountable. 527 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: If you did vote for in the last judicial election 528 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: and it said pick three and you just pick three 529 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,199 Speaker 1: people because you like their name, or because they had 530 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 1: a D or an R next to their name, or 531 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: because they were a woman or a man. That is 532 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: not responsible citizenship. You need to be educating yourselves about 533 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 1: who these people are, who are going to make decisions 534 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: about your child when they get arrested, who are going 535 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: to make decisions about the laws that govern you. And 536 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: so I'm really suggesting that this moment calls on us 537 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: to frame and see and define citizenship differently than I 538 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: think many people have. As you point out, it is 539 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: not just your legal status. It is not because you 540 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: have a blue passport. It is a responsibility and it's 541 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: what are you required to do as a citizen in 542 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: a democracy. It is work. It is not that you 543 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: sit back on your laurels and enjoy your status. It 544 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: is that you were work every day for this democracy, 545 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: for bringing greater equality, greater justice, and a vision of 546 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: a democracy that looks like what I think we want 547 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: our children and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren to 548 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: be a part of. Chrylen Eiffel, Rylyn, Director, Counselor, Matt 549 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: and President, thank you so much for this time. Thank you, 550 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: thank you for your voice, thank you for this show, 551 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: and um, let's just keep fighting. Let's keep fighting. We 552 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 1: are so grateful to Chryln Eiffel for spending time with 553 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: us and reminding us that citizenship is a responsibility and 554 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 1: we gotta put in work. Follow the in double a 555 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: CP Legal Defense Fund on all the social media's there 556 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: at in double a CP Underscore l DF on Twitter 557 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: and on Instagram, search for them on Facebook, or visit 558 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: their website in double a c P l d F 559 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: dot org. Find this episode, a transcript, show notes and 560 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: more goodies at how do citizen dot com. And speaking 561 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: of goodies, why don't you give us that good old 562 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: thumbs up with a positive rating or review wherever you 563 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: see this show and tell somebody else about it. If 564 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: you're enjoying what we're doing here, here's what we're asking 565 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: you to do to align with this episode in terms 566 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: of actions. Internally, we want you to become a bit 567 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: more educated on the systems of oppression that we live 568 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: in in the United States, so that you know the 569 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: roots better and how to fight them better. We went 570 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 1: so far as to set up a whole online bookshop 571 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 1: that actually supports local booksellers in the process, You can 572 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: find it at bookshop dot Org, slash Shop, slash how 573 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: the Citizen. Here are two titles on the shelf that 574 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,719 Speaker 1: we're setting up for you, stamped from the beginning by 575 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: Abram X. Kendy, A Powerful History of Race, Racism, White 576 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: Supremacy in the United States and Crusade for Justice, the 577 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: autobiography of Ida B. Wells. She is someone we all 578 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: need to know so much more about, so I am 579 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: proud to recommend her to you, because I'm pretty sure 580 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: you didn't get that on your how to be Woke 581 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 1: in the Summer of reading lists. Since we spend so 582 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: much time talking about the Voting Rights Act, I suggest 583 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: you actually read the Voting Rights Act, the original one, 584 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: and once you do that, read an analysis from was 585 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: written in The Atlantic by Van Newkirk. V A double 586 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: in will drop the link in the show notes. But 587 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: if you one of those people that likes to independently 588 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: discover stuff, find it and understand why that Shelby versus 589 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: Holder decision that Cheryl and Eiffel reference was so important 590 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: and so devastating, and why we need to restore something 591 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: like or better than the Voting Rights Act. Finally, visit 592 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: this website more than a vote dot Org. This is 593 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: the organization that Lebron set up to help people claim 594 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 1: they're voting rights. And he's a three time champion, so 595 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: do with the champs that he's done it well as 596 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: organization has done it well, and they've partnered with many 597 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 1: groups like the end up a l a CP Legal 598 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: Defense Fund, and they have a really beautiful tool where 599 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: you plug in your address and they show you all 600 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: the different ways you can vote. Now, externally, this involves 601 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 1: stuff more public out in the world, interacting with other people. 602 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 1: Here's where we've got first find out the exact requirements 603 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,479 Speaker 1: of mail land or absentee ballots in your state and 604 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: share them so that every vote is counted. There are 605 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: a lot of different rules and I want you to 606 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:29,480 Speaker 1: figure that out for where you are and tell somebody. 607 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 1: And speaking of telling somebody, I want to make you 608 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: a team Captain Lebron, if you will, I want to 609 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: make you a Lebron for democracy. Why don't you become 610 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: a democracy team captain and take the lead in making 611 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: sure that at least three people you know vote. Whether 612 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: you can vote or not, you probably know three people 613 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: who can, so take responsibility for them, hound them harass them, 614 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 1: support them lovingly often until they vote. In a couple 615 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 1: of ways you can do that. You can share resources 616 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: so that they understand what all their voting options are. 617 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: Send them to more than a vote of Votes of 618 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: America are a number of sources that we have outlined 619 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: in the show notes and on the website. If they 620 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 1: need a witness to sign their ballot envelope, offer to 621 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 1: be that person. Offer to be the person to take 622 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: the ballot and drop it off of them if they 623 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: can't easily or safely leave their home. Be a team 624 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 1: captain for democracy. Finally, support the polls themselves. We have 625 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: asked previously to become a poll worker by signing up 626 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: at Power to the Polls dot org. But this time 627 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 1: we know election day is likely to have some very 628 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,719 Speaker 1: long lines election days, i should say, and so you 629 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: can support the people in those lines. Bring them water, 630 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:48,240 Speaker 1: bring them masks, gloves, umbrellas. If you're an entertainer, do 631 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: some entertaining. We know that there are people who are 632 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: going to show up to these polls trying to intimidate 633 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 1: and frighten people show up to do the opposite, Show 634 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: up to support people living into their highest levels of citizenship, 635 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: show up with love and in a pro democracy small 636 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: d act of citizenship. If you take any of these actions, 637 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: share them with us. Email us action at how to 638 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: citizen dot com mentioned voting in the subject line. Brag 639 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:20,360 Speaker 1: about your citizen ing with the hashtag how to citizen 640 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,759 Speaker 1: on your social media platform of choice, and send us 641 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: any comments you have or suggestions to comment at how 642 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,799 Speaker 1: to citizen dot com. How do citizen with Barrattune Days 643 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio podcast executive produced by Miles Gray, 644 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: Nick Stump, Elizabeth Stewart, and Barrattune Day Thurston. Produced by 645 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: Joel Smith, Edited by Justin Smith. Powered by you