Nuestro Voto: HNBA Voting Resources

CALL TO ACTION for HNBA Members

The Latino vote holds tremendous power in shaping the future of our nation. As members of the legal community, it’s our responsibility to safeguard our democracy and ensure that every eligible voter has the chance to be heard.

Let's join forces to promote voter registration and participation in the upcoming elections. Make your impact today! 

Resources for HNBA Members to Volunteer to Protect Democracy:

For Voter Protection/Election Protection:

Volunteer with LatinoJustice! · Latino Justice PRLDEF - sign up to volunteer in FL, GA, NY & PA

Election Protection Volunteers - Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Election Protection network (sign up to volunteer in any state)

Civic Engagement: La Voz de Mi Gente - Hispanic Federation contact information to support Latinx voters in CN, FL, Midwest, NC and NY

ABA Task Force for American Democracy - link to volunteer for ABA election protection in AZ, GA, MI, NC, NV, PA, WI (use this general form & indicate your state of interest).

OJO - please be sure to coordinate with your HNBA Regional Governors: https://hnba.com/regional-presidents/  AND democracia@hnba.com. 

WAYS TO REGISTER TO VOTE

https://www.usvotefoundation.org/state-election-dates-and-deadlines

ABA Resources for Longer-term Volunteer Opportunities to Improve American Democracy for All:

ABA Task Force for American Democracy - link to get involved in a wide range of ABA Democracy Task Force activities

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/american-democracy - links to ABA Democracy Task Force materials, including research and resources

Defending democracy: Your action plan to protect rule of law - including analyses of state of democracy, task force findings; and actions lawyers can take, including: 

• • Becoming a poll worker;
  • Giving talks in your community or writing for your local newspaper about the rule of law, democracy and elections;
  • Contacting the local election board members and the board’s legal counsel and offer to help;
  • Serving as a pro bono lawyer protecting election officials through the Election Official Legal Defense Network;
  • Actively dispelling election misinformation and disinformation in your community as it arises;
  • Condemning violence or the threat of violence, especially as it relates to our elections and our judicial system

Tools to Ensure Proper Election Certification

Election certification under threat - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington  

Civic Engagement/Demographic Data & Information about Barriers Impacting Latino Voters

See, e.g. Resources & Research: Mi Familia Vota/Mi Familia en Acción, The Power of Latinos in American Democracy: Best Practices for Overcoming Inequities in Civic Participation (Aug. 2024) (discussing demographics; barriers to participation and tools to overcome them; with hundreds of citations to relevant research).

'Desinformación': Fighting Disinformation in Spanish - Latino USA (linking fact checking tools) 

Latino voting rights in the US - UnidosUS (Tools for Voters; Information About Voters; Hispanic Electorate Data Hub) 

Federal Resources to Counter Threats to Democracy Targeting Latinos:

Voting and Elections - DOJ collection of federal voting and election legislation, guidance & resources 

Justice Department Releases Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure Elections

Justice Department Issues New Guidance on Federal Law Regarding Voter Registration

https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-rights-policy-and-guidance

Find Your United States Attorney 

Voting Rights - link to District Election Officers: https://www.justice.gov/voting/voting-rights#deo

Election Infrastructure Insider Threat Mitigation Guide | CISA - Key DHS resources

In the Name of Hate: Examining the Federal Government’s Role in Responding to Hate Crimes | U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Voting Rights Act Protections:

The Voting Rights Act, 52 USC 10101 et. seq. 52 U.S. Code Subtitle I - Voting Rights 

USCCR, The Impact of Shelby v. Holder: https://www.usccr.gov/reports/2018/assessment-minority-voting-rights-access-united-states

Juan Cartegena, Latinos and Section 5 of the VRA, https://www.proquest.com/docview/194245959?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Anti-Discrimination and Language Minority Provisions of the VRA = Sections 2, 4(e), 203 and 208:

https://www.justice.gov/crt/section-2-voting-rights-act Section 2, prohibiting discrimination based on race, national origin or “minority language group;” prohibits both intentional discrimination & discriminatory results

Language Access Resources | U.S. Election Assistance Commission (federal resources, including DOJ guidance on jurisdictions covered under Section 203 and required to provide bilingual election materials and assistance; links to state resources)

An Asian American Challenge to Restrictive Voting Laws: Enforcing Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act in Texas (Section 208 - rights to assistance for all)

Katherine Culliton-González, Time to Revive Puerto Rican Voting Rights, https://lawcat.berkeley.edu/record/1121650?ln=en&v=pdf (Section 4(e) - Puerto Rican voting rights may not be conditioned on individual’s ability to speak English)

Resources to Protect the Rights of Voters with Disabilities:

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities | ADA.gov