Protect the Vote
Vote Protectors have a BIG impact: During the 2020 Primary Election, Vote Protectors sounded the alarm when a precinct in Bertie County, NC ran out of ballots. Their work allowed us to fight for — and win — an extension to keep the polls open that evening. Without that Vote Protector on the ground, hundreds of voters could have been disenfranchised.
Be a Vote Protector
The COVID-19 pandemic, new changes to election law, and poll worker shortages pose unique challenges to voters. Democracy North Carolina’s nonpartisan Voter Protection program works to ensure that every eligible voter in our state can register to vote and successfully cast their ballot.Â
Vote Protectors (otherwise known as poll monitors) serve as our “eyes and ears on the ground” at voting sites across North Carolina. They help voters who encounter problems at the polls and ensure that every polling place is running as it should — sounding the alarm when something isn’t right.Â
Vote Protectors monitor polling places in their communities, flagging:Â
- Long lines
- Problems with curbside voting or accessibilityÂ
- Voter confusion
- Misinformation or voter suppression
As a vote protector, you will:
- Attend an online training
- Receive a vote protector t-shirt, sign, and other materials
- Monitor voting sites during Early Voting and Election Day
- Report problems to the 888-OUR-VOTE hotline
See below for frequently asked questions about serving as a Vote Protector.
Important: due to COVID-19, Vote Protectors will only be asked to carry out tasks that can be done without person-to-person contact. Any interaction with voters or other individuals will be purely optional and at the discretion of each Vote Protector.Â
In 2020, protecting the right to vote in North Carolina has never been more important. And we need your help.
Vote Protector, Juan, is ready to get to work.
When did you last ask yourself: what am I doing for my democracy?
Additional questions? Please contact voteprotector@democracync.org.
Election Protection Hotline
Democracy North Carolina also staffs a voter assistance Election Protection Hotline to provide real-time voter information and field voting problems. Contact the Election Protection Hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683). For questions regarding your individual voter registration, or for more information you can visit ncvoter.org, or the N.C. State Board of Elections.