News Release

Election Day Turmoil

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RALPH G. NEAS
People for the American Way Foundation President Neas said: “The Election Protection ‘Nerve Center’ at People For the American Way Foundation’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, continues to operate as a voter assistance and coalition information clearinghouse, with 34 computers and 55 telephone lines. … On Election Day, information will pour into the Nerve Center from the field offices and legal command centers around the country. Reporters are free to call the Nerve Center at (866) 204-1941 or People For the American Way Foundation at (202) 467-4999 to get the latest information.”
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CHELLIE PINGREE
Common Cause, a national non-partisan advocacy organization, announced today that it will provide information, updated throughout Election Day, on voting trouble spots in key states, based on a voter alert line and on-the-ground monitoring. Common Cause Election Day media briefings are scheduled for 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET to inform reporters, producers and editors about information coming in from voters on the voter alert line nationally and on-the-ground polling station volunteers in states that may include Ohio, Florida, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania. Common Cause will have both aggregate data and anecdotal information. Call in number is (800) 247-9979. Ask for the Election Day Monitoring call. Chellie Pingree is the president of Common Cause.
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MILES RAPOPORT
Rapoport is the president of Demos, a non-partisan, non-profit organization and former Secretary of the State of Connecticut. He said today: “As the election approaches, chilling reports continue to surface of major efforts to prevent people from voting. Legions of partisan ‘challengers’ are being readied for the polls tomorrow; misinformation has been spread on polling dates and locations; and tens of thousands of new Ohio registrants are being challenged. All appear to be organized campaigns. … But it’s not too late to avoid disaster. Even at this late hour many election officials are taking steps to maximize access, and minimize disruptions at polling places. All should follow that lead.”
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SHEILA CROWLEY
President of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Crowley said today: “We are concerned that challenges of voters will effectively suppress the vote of homeless people and other poor people. We have evidence that homeless and poor people are way over represented among those who have been challenged in Ohio and quite likely Pennsylvania.”
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ROB RICHIE
Richie is the executive director of the Center for Voting and Democracy, which has just released a report “Election Night as it Happens: East to West.” He said today: “We are tracking the election as polls close state by state. No matter what happens, we need to take the necessary steps to modernize our elections and make them fair for all of us.”
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STEVEN HILL
Hill is senior analyst with the Center for Voting and Democracy and author of the book Fixing Elections: The Failure of America’s Winner Take All Politics, just out in paperback.
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For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167