Law students and faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with community volunteers, will staff the North Carolina Election Protection hotline, a toll-free, nonpartisan resource to answer voter questions during the primary election on Tuesday, May 8.
Law students and faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with community volunteers, will staff the North Carolina Election Protection hotline, a toll-free, nonpartisan resource to answer voter questions during the primary election on Tuesday, May 8.
Voters anywhere in the state can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., the hours polls are open in North Carolina, with questions about their rights and the voting process. Assistance will be available in English and Spanish.
During the 2010 elections, the hotline fielded almost 300 calls in the state. Nationally, the hotline received more than 20,000 calls with concerns regarding registration, absentee ballots, and voter manipulation and intimidation.
Recent electoral redistricting and revised district boundaries have resulted in a very high number of split precincts in North Carolina, which may lead to specific concerns for the May 8 election.
The UNC Center for Civil Rights has coordinated the N.C. Election Protection hotline for several years. The law school’s Pro Bono Program has recruited lawyers, law students and other volunteers who will be trained to answer questions from North Carolina voters and to help them understand their voting rights.
“This program is committed to ensuring that every qualified voter gets a meaningful opportunity to exercise their basic civil right to cast a ballot on Election Day,” says Elizabeth Haddix, senior attorney at the center
Election Protection is a nationwide voter advocacy and education coalition of more than 100 local, state and national partners and is coordinated by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Center for Civil Rights contact: Elizabeth Haddix, (919) 843-9807, emclaugh@email.unc.edu.