NAACP Statement on Voting Rights and Election Protections

The right to vote is still under siege more than a century after it was declared fundamental. Efforts to make it more difficult for racial minorities to participate in politics are springing up all around the country. Our democracy must rise to the occasion by enacting measures that encourage secure and accessible elections. Our federal and state governments must uphold their responsibilities and support meaningful voter protections that not only protect our right to vote, but also ensure that our vote can be administered and fully available with sufficient precincts, secure voting machines, and qualified poll workers to match the number of eligible voters.

The integrity of our democracy depends on ensuring that elections are conducted using a variety of approved methods, such as the use of verifiable, reliable, and trustworthy voting machines and other technologies that meet the required software standards, standards for conducting recounts, and standards for prohibiting conflicts of interest on entities involved in the manufacture, distribution, or other activities relating to voting machines.

Additionally, reducing the spread of #COVID-19 requires making voting accessible and free of vulnerabilities, such as automatic and same-day registration and the use of paper ballots rather than touchscreen machines. Our democracy remains the foundational principle, which we must continue to cherish and protect for all Americans. The NAACP is committed to advocating for and supporting all efforts that enhance state and local governments' opportunities to develop and deliver safe, secure, and effective voting systems.