A letter by Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) President and CEO Margaret Huang is urging Alabamians to reject what was called "intimidation attempts" ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
A press release from SPLC said that the organization recently launched an ad campaign in publications to warn voters of possible attempts to intimidate and called on secretary of state, attorney general and law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout.
“The stakes in this election could not be higher,” Huang said in the press release. “Our very democracy depends on voters being able to participate fully in the voting process. This open letter is a reminder to both voters and to those who would use fear tactics at the polls that we stand ready to support any individual that is unfairly denied their chance to cast their ballot and make their voice heard.”
See below for the letter:
Cast Your Ballot and Send a Message: Voter Intimidation Won’t Stop Democracy
The right to vote in free and fair elections is the cornerstone of our democratic system. However, throughout our history, this fundamental right has been denied or restricted for millions of people, especially Black and Brown communities in the Deep South. This election year has proven no different.
Since the Supreme Court
gutted the Voting Rights Act through the Shelby County decision, we’ve seen renewed attacks on voting rights by far-right politicians and activists. In state houses in the Deep South and across the nation, these extremists are proposing and passing anti-voter legislation aimed at limiting access to the ballot box, instituting mass voter purges and changing election certification rules to potentially disenfranchise millions of voters. And they’re not stopping there.
Those seeking to divide us are increasingly turning to voter intimidation and political violence to scare people away from the voting booth. The SPLC’s Intelligence Project has documented the
far-right extremist movement to destabilize democratic institutions, including mainstreaming conspiracy theories and threatening violence against voters and election workers.
Today, more than 70% of voters are worried about political violence during and after the election, according to a
survey conducted by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Americans share these views across the political spectrum, with more than 90% of progressive respondents and nearly 70% of conservatives worried that violence will interrupt the election.
We must not allow anti-democracy forces to win. We are calling on the secretary of state, attorney general and law enforcement agencies to protect the safety of all voters during early voting, on Election Day and post-election as the results are being certified. By safeguarding the voting process, we can maintain trust in our democratic system and ensure that the election results truly reflect the will of the people.
And we’re calling on you – voters in Alabama - to reject fear and intimidation – and vote your voice. We must vote like our democracy depends on it because it does. The stakes facing the nation and each of us could not be higher.
The SPLC stands ready to support voters across the Deep South and to protect our democracy. Together, we’ll affirm our democracy by choosing elected officials who represent us and what we believe in.
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