22 Oct MEMO: Silver State Voices Announces Nonpartisan Resources for Voters, Election Protection Measures as Early Vote Begins
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22nd, 2022
Contact: Will Pregman, wpregman@battlebornprogress.org, 702.752.0656
Silver State Voices Announces Nonpartisan Resources for Voters, Election Protection Measures as Early Vote Begins
NEVADA – As Nevada voters begin making their way to polling locations or mailboxes to vote in-person or deliver their mail ballots, Silver State Voices (SSV), a coalition of 19 501(c)3 organizations dedicated to civic engagement in Nevada, is proud to announce its nonpartisan resources available to voters statewide. Prior to the start of Early Voting, member groups engaged in a statewide voter registration effort, successfully registering 20,187 new voters in 2022. In addition, Silver State Voices is once again employing a substantial Election Protection program, including the monitoring of the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline and a poll monitoring program.
Voter Registration Program
This year, Silver State Voices and partners conducted voter registration programs ahead of the November midterms. We are proud to announce that our partners collected 20,187 voter registration forms altogether by the standard voter registration deadline in October. Our partners engaged with Nevadans within their communities, engaged formerly incarcerated Nevadans, visited high schools, and hosted events on National Voter Registration Day. With Institute for a Progressive Nevada, we are also utilizing our RegisterNevada.org website where eligible Nevada voters may register online or update their voter registration if needed.
VoteSmartNV Voter Guide
As Nevada prepares for the November 8th general election, Silver State Voices and Institute for a Progressive Nevada (IPN) have once again relaunched VoteSmartNV.org, a nonpartisan guide to inform Nevada voters. VoteSmartNV is a nonpartisan project which lists each candidate for each major office and includes candidates’ responses, in their own words, to standardized survey questions on various topics asked by a broad and diverse coalition of 501(c)3 community organizations. The 2022 guide also features up-to-date information on voting with mail ballots and other election policy changes made since the 2020 election, with a hotline number and translation options available in multiple languages. In the 2022 primary, the VoteSmartNV Voter Guide was accessed by Nevada voters nearly 17,000 times statewide, and is continuing to be promoted via print, digital, and programmatic advertising with a six-figure budget.
Election Protection Program
The purpose of the Election Protection (EP) program is to hold space for Nevadans to cast their ballot in a safe, secure, and accessible manner while ensuring that they have all the resources and support they need. One aspect of the EP program is to recruit volunteers in a non-partisan capacity to assist voters and to serve as the eyes and ears at election sites. Silver State Voices and the ACLU of NV are the Nevada affiliates for the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline where Nevadans can call or text about issues or questions they might have about voting. For voters with questions about their ballot or the registration process, this hotline provides comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting. During the election, we track and respond to intake tickets from this hotline.
We have worked to amplify it, along with the use of the national hotlines that are powered by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL), NALEO Education Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, APIAVote, and Arab American Institute with the assistance of our Table partners, earned media, and paid media.
“Today is the first day of early voting in Nevada, and we are excited to see voters, especially voters from marginalized communities and those who do not normally participate in midterm elections, cast their ballots. This day also marks the start of our Election Protection program. Until the results are certified, we are poised to ensure all Nevada voters have the opportunity to vote and have their vote protected via our hotline and poll monitoring program,” said Executive Director of Silver State Voices, Emily Persuad-Zamora.
“This election, it is critically important that all eligible Nevada voters have access to accurate, nonpartisan information about how to cast their ballot and make informed decisions,” said Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Institute for a Progressive Nevada. “It’s also been an honor to once again be engaged in election protection efforts, in light of continued unproven falsehoods being spread about the integrity of Nevada voters and our state’s elections. We will continue to work to ensure all eligible Nevada voters have their freedom to vote protected and their voice counted at the ballot box in 2022. Resources like the VoteSmartNV voter guide and Election Protection hotlines, available in multiple languages, are part of ensuring we can successfully accomplish that goal.”
Notes: Spokespeople in Spanish or English are available for individual interviews.
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