Thousands of public health professionals will gather in San Antonio November 1- 4 for the American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference. The meeting will take place during the midterm elections in Texas — a state with anticipated election interference and long-standing voter access challenges. The public health community can play a role to help protect election integrity. Health in Partnership (HIP) and the Network for Public Health Law (Network) are partnering with the Texas Civil Rights Project to help fill Election Day poll monitoring shifts in San Antonio.
Those attending the APHA conference are invited to consider taking 3 hours out of their conference schedule on Election Day to help Texas voters access the polls and vote safely.
What is poll monitoring and what is the commitment?
- Poll monitors go to a polling location in groups of two and stand outside and talk to voters about how things are going, answer questions, and help flag and report problems to the 866-OUR-VOTE Election Protection Hotline.
- By signing up, you commit to joining a 1.5 hour virtual training and signing up for a 3-hour poll monitoring shift on election day in San Antonio.
- This is a non-partisan role and in compliance with 501c3 rules.
- The Texas Civil Rights Project will provide full training that will cover all aspects of poll monitoring. HIP encourages you to think about your own risk, as well as your risk tolerance, in showing up to do this work. If you want to chat more about what the role is or how to assess if it’s a good fit for you, please reach out to Sari at sari@healthinpartnership.org.
Sign up here to join us, get trained, sign up for a shift, and protect election integrity.
If you are a lawyer, law student, or paralegal who will be in Texas on election day and are interested in volunteering as a Legal Monitor, please reach out to Darlene at dhbriggs@networkforphl.org. Legal Monitors serve as trusted eyes and ears at the polls, helping ensure every voter can cast a ballot without obstacles. They answer voter questions, check polling places for compliance with both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Texas Election Code, flag and report problems to the non-partisan 866-OUR-VOTE election protection hotline, and track information that improves future elections. The 2-hour Legal Monitor training through Texas Civil Rights Project is accredited for 2 hours of Texas MCLE credit.
About the Network for Public Health Law
The Network works with local, Tribal, state, and federal public health policy makers, officials, attorneys, and practitioners, as well as community organizations, advocates, and other partners in community health across the country to help build their capacity to improve health and advance health equity through the use of law and policy. We provide evidence-based solutions and best practices through technical assistance, as well as information, resources, consultation, and training. Learn more at networkforphl.org.
The Network is supported by grants from some of the nation’s leading health philanthropies, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation, and Arnold Ventures. The Network also receives project funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the CDC Foundation.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
CONTACT: Nina Belforte – Deputy Director of Strategic Communications, Network for Public Health Law
NBelforte@networkforphl.org
