WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement regarding recent calls for observers and law enforcement at the polls:
“Voter intimidation and harassment should have no place in American democracy today. Calls to deploy observers and activate law enforcement inside and outside of polling places are actions intended to depress voter turnout and participation, particularly among minority groups. They harken back to a dark era in our nation’s history in which law enforcement and the threat of violence were used as tactics intended to disenfranchise African-Americans and other minority groups. Moreover, these calls run the risk of disrupting the conduct of elections thereby causing chaos on Election Day. Untrained observers are likely to bring their biases to the polls in ways that may threaten voters from exercising their franchise. The right to vote lies at the heart of democracy and, through our Election Protection program and continued advocacy, we will work to ensure that all voters are able to cast a ballot free from intimidation and harassment this election cycle.”
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