Espy Voter Protection Team Seeks Volunteers

With the reported rise of voting suppression tactics in multiple states, Democratic Senate candidate Mike Espy’s campaign is taking no chances.

The Espy campaign has established a voter protection team to try to ensure fair access for all voters on Nov. 6. Students who want to volunteer for opportunities in Hattiesburg or on the Gulf Coast should contact Amir Badat, who is with the Espy voter protection team, at amir@espyforsenate.com.

“On Nov. 6, voters will head to the polls — and some of them will be turned away and misled to about their rights as voters,” Judy Wiener, another member of the team, says in an email. “Mike is in a close race and has a serious shot at making history by being the first African American to be elected to the Senate from Mississippi since Reconstruction.  He wants to make sure that all voters have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote without barriers, so we are putting together a team dedicated to protecting the vote.”

The team will have three primary roles:

1. Manning a voter hotline to answer any questions voters might have related to voting.
2. Sending poll watchers to targeted precincts on Election Day to make sure voters are able to cast their votes.
3. Sitting in the Boiler Room at campaign headquarter in Jackson on Election Day to respond to any complaints or issues that may arise with voting.

“Being a poll watcher is a great way to learn about election law, and it is professional experience that students can talk about in the future,” Badat says in an email.

Voter protection requires only a short election law training, which will be held next week at the Espy HQ, 460 Briarwood Drive, Jackson. Training can also be accessed remotely.