Breanna Reeves
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In just under six weeks, millions of voters will cast their ballots for the 2024 Presidential Election as poll workers monitor polling stations and assist voters with any questions.
Over the last several years, election workers across several states have reported experiencing threats or harassment, including in California. According to a 2023 Brennan Center study, one in three election officials nationwide have experienced threats or abuse because of their job.
In an effort to further protect election workers and voters, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) introduced the Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act which would “help ensure that every voter and election worker has the right to cast their ballot and conduct their official duties free from fear and intimidation.”
The Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act would update existing anti-intimidation provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including limiting the presence of visible firearms at voting locations or places where election workers perform their official duties. This bill would also provide “civil remedies” for those who experience this type of intimidation, including a court order that would allow the voter or election official to carry out their duties without disruption. The bill would also recognize an exception for law enforcement officers who act within their official duties.
“In no corner of America should the fear of violence prevent voters from casting their ballot or keep election workers from showing up to work,” said Padilla in a press release. “Unfortunately, we have a long, dark history of voter suppression and intimidation in America, reignited by partisan rhetoric and false narratives about election fraud.”
The Brennan Center reported in May 2024 that among 928 local election workers surveyed, 7 in 10 respondents felt that threats have increased since 2020.
“The right to vote is foundational to our democracy, and to protect that right we must keep polling places and official ballot drop sites free from intimidation,” said Deluzio in a press statement. “With the rising risk of political violence and ongoing attacks on our democracy, it’s clear that we need action to strengthen the sanctity of our elections.
The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate by several U.S. Senators, including Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), and co-sponsored by Representative Raul Ruiz (D-CA) in the House of Representatives.In addition to the Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act being introduced, CA Gov. Gavin Newsom also signed several bipartisan bills that will also create stronger protections from guns in the state such as Assembly Bill 2642 by Assemblymember Marc Berman, which prevents an individual from intimidating or threatening a person who is engaging in election-related activities. This bill also penalizes a person who openly carries a real or fake firearm or toy gun while interacting with or observing the specified election-related activities.