Press Release
AALDEF Responds to State Voter Suppression Laws with Free Legal Trainings
In response to a wave of state laws that threaten voting rights of Asian Americans and other voters of color, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is offering a series of legal trainings in multiple cities reviewing voters’ rights, voter registration, and election rules for tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.
“The onslaught of voter identification laws has led to confusion over how the voting rights of Asian Americans will be affected, said Glenn D. Magpantay, Director of the Democracy Program at AALDEF. “We want to ensure that community leaders know how to protect the ability of all voters to elect a candidate of their choice.”
During the trainings, called “Voters’ Rights, Conducting Voter Registration, and Election Rules for Nonprofits and 501(c)(3)s,” attorneys from AALDEF will provide legal information under local, state, and federal laws for community groups regarding election-related activities. Information will include legal responsibilities in conducting voter registration drives, the rules regarding electoral and voter education activities for nonprofits, and voters’ rights on Election Day regarding interpreters, provisional ballots, and remedies to problems.
The first two workshops will be conducted in New York City at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP on May 30, 2012. The next workshops will be conducted in Washington D.C. on June 6, 2012 at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, and on June 7, 2012, at Dickstein Shapiro LLP.
AALDEF will also be releasing fact sheets on state voting laws, beginning with New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. During the 2012 elections, AALDEF will be monitoring poll sites and conducting exit polls in at least 10 states.
“In the face of these potentially suppressive new voter identification laws, we want to ensure Asian American community leaders are knowledgeable about voters’ rights and are prepared to protect them,” said Chi-Ser Tran, Voting Rights Organizer at AALDEF.
For more information, contact:
Chi-Ser Tran
212.966.5932 x251
ctran@aaldef.org
Ujala Sehgal
212.966.5932 x217
usehgal@aaldef.org