Our democracy is at a turning point.
In mere months, we’ll head to the ballot for a critical presidential election. It’s essential that every voter’s voice be heard as we elect our most powerful representatives. Yet, the past few years have seen a slew of antivoter laws that make it harder for people to cast ballots and for voting rights organizations to assist people at the polls.
Just a few examples:
- An Alabama law has made it a felony for anyone besides a close family member or cohabitant to help someone fill out an absentee ballot. This creates a major barrier for voters with disabilities.
- An Idaho law has removed student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of voter identification, limiting students’ ability to cast ballots.
- Arkansas and South Dakota have passed laws banning the use of absentee ballot drop-boxes, which many people rely on to ensure their ballots are submitted.
At the same time, forms of mis- and disinformation such as artificial intelligence–generated deepfakes—which spread false information through digitally manipulated images, videos, or audio recordings—pose a major threat. We saw this just last month, when the League of Women Voters (LWV) and partners took legal action in response to bad actors who were using deepfakes of President Biden to imply to New Hampshire voters that they could not vote in both the upcoming primary and general elections.
In the face of these antivoter attacks, civic organizations must take a stand. We must empower voters with accurate information, and we must defend the constitutional right to vote.
How LWV is helping
LWV is no stranger to this type of work. We’re a nonpartisan civic organization that has worked since 1920 to empower voters and defend democracy. Our more than 750 Leagues, led by volunteers in every state and the District of Columbia, host voter registration drives, publish voter guides, advocate for pro-voter laws, and get involved in virtually every part of the civic engagement process. And, as highlighted in our recent cosponsored webinar we often do this work in collaboration with America’s libraries and other trusted partners.
To face the newest slate of antivoter challenges, LWV continues to advocate for federal voting rights legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. Federal legislation will ensure that every American has the same ability to cast a ballot and register to vote; it will also fight state laws that seek to limit access to the ballot.
We’re also working to expand access to voter registration and information in spaces where federal agencies interact with Americans seeking assistance or public benefits. For example, we are providing resources in partnership with the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, and many other government entities. Millions of Americans interact with these agencies daily, and adding voter registration and education to these services increases access to the voting process for some of our most vulnerable communities.
Our state Leagues are on the front lines, fighting antivoter laws such as those that require voter photo ID, ban ballot boxes, and add restrictions to absentee and mail-in ballots. Louisiana’s Senate Bill 218, for example, could severely limit the categories of people who are allowed to request or return an absentee ballot on someone else’s behalf. Laws like this hurt elderly and disabled voters and create unnecessary barriers to ensuring that votes are counted. Like libraries, LWV believes that our democracy is stronger when people are empowered to make their voices heard. Voter education, like the Civics 101 program cohosted by the Amarillo League and Amarillo (Tex.) Public Library, is just one example of that belief in action.
We’ve also established the Democracy Truth Project (DTP), which leverages the extensive expertise of LWV leaders and partners to fight false information and restore trust in the political system. In DTP’s first year, volunteers hosted more than 300 meetings with election officials, such as that cohosted by the Manitowoc, Wisconsin, league of the LWV and Manitowoc Public Library with state Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe. DTP has also hosted 47 trainings on false information, such as “Tools and Resources for Identifying and Debunking Misinformation,” cosponsored by the Detroit league of LWV and Detroit Public Library. We’ve helped present hundreds of other events focused on the election process, including scores at public libraries. We’re scaling up these efforts throughout 2024, and we know libraries are vital partners in these efforts.
Libraries and LWV are two of the few lasting, nonpartisan civic entities that have the community ties and trust to encourage civic dialogue based on issues that their community cares about. They have a long history of working together to inform and empower voters.
That work—and this collaboration—are more important than ever. That’s why the American Library Association and LWV are partnering to help libraries and local LWV leagues increase access to nonpartisan civic information and resources. Our joint toolkit offers guidance, resources, and local case studies to supplement and expand on the essential work being done on the ground.
How will you get involved?
