Nonpartisan trained volunteers will answer calls and monitor polls on election day: Illinois voters can call the election protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for assistance.
CHICAGO, IL, March 29, 2023: On April 4th, nonpartisan legal volunteers will take calls on the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE and answer questions from voters as they cast their ballots in the Illinois Consolidated Election and Chicago’s runoff election. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights will also train volunteers to serve as nonpartisan poll watchers in Chicago and surrounding counties. Polling places will be open from 6am to 7pm on Election Day.
Volunteers assisted voters during the February 28th election with problems such as late polling place openings, electioneering, intimidation, language access barriers, and more. Our team of volunteers helped protect the right to vote by advocating for solutions to the problems voters were facing.
“Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in America, and barriers to voting still persist, impacting communities of color in distinct and intersectional ways,” said Cliff Helm, Senior Counsel with the Voting Rights and Civic Empowerment team at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee. “As a result, we remain dedicated to ensuring all voters are able to cast their vote.”
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee is grateful to Kirkland & Ellis LLP for its critical support and leadership of Election Protection. Hundreds of attorneys have volunteered in past elections, and thousands of calls have been made to the Illinois hotline call center. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee uses data and stories from voters’ experiences to drive systemic voting rights reforms through legislation, litigation, and community education.
Ami Gandhi, Director of Voting Rights and Civic Empowerment at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee said, “The Feb 28th election was a reminder that voters continue to face barriers at the polls. Our team of volunteers help voters overcome those barriers to ensure they can have their voice heard and safely cast their vote.”
With anticipated challenges to voter access in runoff and municipal elections occurring in Illinois on April 4th, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee continues to work with community partners, national Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP to address these challenges.
Hotlines:
English: 866-OUR-VOTE
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US
Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE
Digital outreach tools, including 866ourvote.org, @866ourVote, and facebook.com/866OurVote
About Chicago Lawyers’ Committee
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is a non-partisan, non-profit group of civil rights lawyers and advocates working to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all. We provide legal representation through partnerships with the private bar, and we collaborate with grassroots organizations and other advocacy groups to implement community-based solutions that advance civil rights. For more information, visit www.clccrul.org or call (312) 630-9744.