Coalition Of Civil Rights Leaders Demand All Ballots Be Counted

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Nov 04, 2020

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy in this country. It is through casting a ballot that Americans determine our future, protect our rights, seek equal treatment in economic and social life – and hold our leaders accountable to their constituents.

We stand firm in our demand that every vote is counted, including absentee and mail-in votes. Voters who were compelled to cast provisional ballots must also be permitted, as authorized under state law, to “cure” their ballots by presenting information to local boards of elections that confirms their voter status. These are routine actions that take place in the days following every election, every year. President Trump’s wish to end ballot counting must not be permitted to interfere with these processes, and we condemn all misleading statements suggesting that these processes are illegal or fraudulent.

Every ballot must be counted. The American people have expressed their will through the power of their vote, and their voice must be respected. For democracy to work for all of us, each and every voter must be heard. This is not about party, candidates, or agendas, but rather about the promise of our democracy that ensures no voters are silenced. Despite a global pandemic and extraordinary voter suppression throughout the election season, voters participated in this election in historic numbers in the 2020 election. Across the country, citizens braved long lines to vote early, and mailed in or dropped off ballots in record numbers. Voters exercised their right to participate in the face of risks to personal health and safety.

We must allow election officials to do their job, count every ballot cast and afford them the time necessary to do so accurately and completely. Election officials are hard at work counting ballots now, and every hour that goes by is adding to the tally and emphasizing the voters’ decisive choice. This is our vibrant democracy at work. We must allow the democratic process to run its full course to ensure that the voice of every citizen is heard. We cannot stop our democracy from reflecting the will of its people.

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Signatories

Rev. Al Sharpton
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
Clayola Brown
Derrick Johnson
Elise Scott
Kristen Clarke
Marc Morial
Melanie Campbell
Sherrilyn Ifill

Contact

Marc Banks, NAACP, [email protected]
Lon Walls, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, [email protected]
Phoebe Plagens, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, [email protected]
Rachel Noerdlinger, National Action Network (NAN) [email protected]
Teresa Candori, National Urban League, [email protected]