“Who are you voting for?”
These days, everybody is asking that question.
But not the ACLU of North Dakota.
For the ACLU, it’s more important that people vote. And that’s the message behind the organization’s new voting rights campaign.
With 21 days until Election Day, the ACLU of North Dakota’s campaign – amplified through digital and outdoor advertising, direct mail, an expansive email program and social media outreach – is encouraging voters to make a plan to vote, whether that’s absentee by mail or early at their county auditor’s office or in-person on Nov. 3.
“In an unprecedented election year, rife with misinformation flowing from the highest levels, voters must be educated on how, where and when they can vote, and how to advocate for their constitutional right to cast a ballot when obstacles are thrown in their way,” said Dane DeKrey, ACLU of North Dakota advocacy director. “Elected officials may hold the cards, but voters hold the power. That’s why we’re doing what we can to make it easier for people to do just that. We want to make sure everyone has the ability to make their voice heard.”
The campaign is particularly important in North Dakota. With fewer polling locations open across the state on Election Day, physical distancing will be a challenge. Some counties, but not all, offer early voting but dates and hours vary widely. And while each county has at least one secure ballot drop box location, specific deadlines to drop off a completed ballot on Nov. 2 also vary by county. So the ACLU’s voting rights information, which includes educational, print-on-demand resources available on its website, are so important this election season.
The ACLU’s voting rights campaign also features interactive tools include a pledge to vote and a weekly voting themed podcast that will answer the top questions regarding the 2020 election, including what election night will look like and the state of the United States Postal Service.
It’s not the typical election year campaign. But it’s one that the ACLU of North Dakota believes can be effective to encourage an even greater number of people cast their ballots this year.
About the ACLU of North Dakota
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of North Dakota is part of a three-state chapter that also includes South Dakota and Wyoming. The team in North Dakota is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit communities. The ACLU of North Dakota carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of North Dakota.
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