What is democratic backsliding? We define it as the intentional undermining of our collective confidence. Our confidence in elections, our confidence in our independent courts, our confidence in our free press and media, and our confidence in democratic institutions as a whole. Democratic backsliding has been studied and researched around the world; we are experiencing democratic backsliding right here in the United States of America. The good news is that backsliding can be reversed – and it starts with voting.

With control of Congress and the balance of power in Harrisburg at stake, we are bracing for an election season that is charged with urgency. For the ACLU of Pennsylvania, our attention is not pointed toward partisan politics, but keenly zeroed in on defending the integrity of Pennsylvania elections and protecting the constitutional guarantee that our leaders are chosen freely and fairly by the will of the people; they are chosen by our votes.

The Trump administration and other anti-democracy politicians have made it clear that they intend to do whatever it takes to dissuade, disrupt, and prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots. Their attacks on the validity of our elections are baseless, but that doesn’t stop them from sowing confusion before Election Day.

Free and fair elections are a keystone of our democracy, and the ACLU of Pennsylvania is committed to doing what’s necessary to ensure every eligible Pennsylvanian can vote and do so accessibly.

As we have in past years, ACLU-PA will be teaming up with voter advocate organizations statewide to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots with confidence on or before Election Day, that the results will be certified, and that there will be a peaceful transition of power. The coalition we’ve been a part of building over the last two decades is poised to monitor and respond to both common issues and mishaps at polling places and new challenges born from attempts by the White House and others to undermine our fundamental rights.

From misprinted ballots or unexpectedly closed polling places to outright voter intimidation, we will be ready to address any disruption or disorder that threatens to disenfranchise voters. Voting is your right, and we are here to protect and defend that right so you can exercise it on or before Tuesday, November 3.

If you have any questions or issues voting, please call or text the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). If English is not your first language, you can go to 866ourvote.org for information on where to call for help in other languages.

• Español and English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
• (عربى Arabic and English: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
• Mandarin (普通話), Cantonese (廣東話), Korean (한국어), Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt), Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and English - 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)