Newsletter
Two Years of Assisting Election Officials Under Attack
October 2023
EOLDN Marks Its Second Anniversary of Supporting Election Officials
The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN), a project of The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR), marks the two-year anniversary of its founding this fall. But it’s not time to celebrate just yet. Election workers continue to be targeted, and with the upcoming 2024 election cycle, there is much work to do. We at CEIR have long hoped our work—particularly EOLDN—would one day be unnecessary. But, until then, we’ll continue to connect election workers with the legal and communications support they so need. This anniversary offers an opportunity to pause and reflect upon the outpouring of interest and commitment we’ve seen over the last two years that keeps us laser-focused on our mission.
The story of EOLDN begins with isolation and fear, but it continues through solidarity, selflessness, and community. Election administrators have not only asked for EOLDN assistance but have also spread the word. Attorneys across the country are standing up to advise and defend those in need. The organizations that EOLDN works with have taken up the cause and eloquently rallied their audiences to join up.
At the same time, federal law enforcement, states, and organizations are supporting election officials like never before, through stricter laws and stepped-up investigations and convictions. The DOJ’s Election Threats Task Force has charged 14 people with threatening election officials with violence. Several state legislatures have passed specific laws penalizing violence against election officials and poll workers. In August 2023, the American Bar Association called on legislative bodies to pass more of this legislation and urged bar associations to support such efforts.
EOLDN extends a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who’s supported us and the election community. We’ll redouble our efforts as we begin Year Three and approach the 2024 election cycle.
Help us grow our audience and stand with election officials: Encourage your colleagues, election officials, and contacts to subscribe to our newsletter, at eoldn.org/subscribe.
Join an EOLDN Webinar
California and Hawaii election workers, as well as others who are interested, are invited to join EOLDN leadership and California election officials for a webinar about threats to election officials and how EOLDN can help.
Date: Friday, October 20, 10 am PT
EOLDN is planning a series of state-specific webinars. If you’re interested in arranging one for your state, contact us!
What is EOLDN?
The Election Official Legal Defense Network is the brainchild of former Presidential Commission on Election Administration co-chairs Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg. David Becker, Executive Director of CEIR and an elections expert, leads EOLDN.
EOLDN offers two services in support of election officials:
Pro Bono Legal Assistance: This service matches experienced pro bono attorneys with election officials who have been harassed and intimidated for simply doing their jobs of running fair elections.
Free Communications Assistance: This service matches election offices with free communications assistance to combat mis-, dis-, and mal-information about elections in their communities, educate voters, and provide general strategy support.
Share Resources with EOs
Please forward this message to your contacts and take a look at our digital toolkit that makes it easy to share information about our free, safe, and nonpartisan legal and communications services.
Election Officials, Request Help
Click here to request legal or communications assistance on our website, eoldn.org or contact us via email at help@eoldn.org or phone at 1-877-313-5210 anytime.
Click here for EOLDN Terms and Conditions. If you believe you’re eligible to receive help from EOLDN and are interested in requesting assistance from a pro bono attorney or communications professional, we encourage you to get in touch.
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Attorneys, Join Our Network of Lawyers
Please forward this message to attorney contacts, so EOLDN is prepared for 2024 and beyond. We need all types of attorneys, as election officials can experience a wide variety of legal issues stemming from their duties, and many simply need general guidance. Learn about joining the network as a pro bono attorney, or as a law firm, here.
Interested in helping us recruit other attorneys or firms into the network? We have information to help you present EOLDN to other lawyers. Please email outreach@eoldn.org for more information.