After threats from President Donald Trump and other Republicans that voting rights advocates fear could lead to voter intimidation, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has a plan to protect Arizona voters on Election Day, Nov. 3.
The group said it has more than 330 volunteers in Arizona registering voters, doing outreach, and making sure community members actually turn out to vote. On Election Day, the group said it will have multiple command centers—in Detroit, Washington DC, and Atlanta—monitoring any potential election interference or other issues that could affect voters in Arizona.
The NAACP has done this kind of work since its founding 117 years ago, said Tyler Sterling, the group’s national director of campaigns. But the group is putting extra emphasis on it this year because of Trump’s push to change voting rules and threats from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the polls, the group told the Washington Post.
“We’re not necessarily new to this, but we’re true to this,” Sterling said.
Roughly 10 volunteers in Arizona will monitor polls across the state and report issues to the command centers, Sterling said. The goal is to hold officials accountable if a polling site turns away voters or otherwise makes it harder to vote. The national team will then assess the scope of the problem and respond accordingly.
That response could take many forms, Sterling said. For example, if a glitch forces a polling site to extend its hours, the team would likely alert local voters through a press release, Instagram graphics, and directly contacting affected voters.
“The voter protection efforts start centrally at our hub and in these virtual spaces,” Sterling said. “But they come from our member-leaders and volunteers on the ground who raise these issues. It’s really a one-stop place.”
Sterling emphasized that an affected voter doesn’t need to be a volunteer with the NAACP. Anyone in Arizona can call the NAACP to report Election Day issues. Someone from the office will call to alert leadership and work with the affected voter to help them. Even if a prospective voter is turned away, the group will ensure they can at least cast a provisional ballot.
“It’s all geared towards solving those issues,” Sterling said. “If you see something, say something.”
The efforts come as the Trump administration’s Department of Justice said it’s sending election monitors to Arizona counties, including to Navajo County. Over the past year, election officials, lawyers, and Democrats have braced for potential interference. Ordinary people are also getting involved by training to be poll monitors and holding informational events.
The president has a history of election denialism: after losing the 2020 election to former president Joe Biden, Trump led the claims of widespread voter fraud, despite fraud being extremely rare nationwide. In September, Trump lashed out at the Supreme Court for rejecting a bid to curb mail-in voting, and it all has election officials concerned that the Trump administration could use federal powers to interfere in elections.
Other groups have taken similar steps to prepare for potential chaos. Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) hosted multiple trainings to prepare Arizonans in the event ICE agents show up to the polls. Trump has floated the idea, and state Republicans introduced legislation in February to make it a reality, but the bill never advanced.
What comes next?
The NAACP will monitor the election until midnight Pacific time, when polls have closed nationwide. Afterward, the group will turn to potential litigation, making sure ballots are properly counted and rebuilding public trust in elections.
“We don’t want to scare people, but we also want to be realistic about what we’re happening, and anyone who has eyes can see that there is increased attention on the election space,” Sterling said.
If Arizonans encounter any issues while voting, the group encourages calling 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866.687.8683) or filling out NAACP Voter Incident Report Form.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
