By Marilyn Odendahl
The Indiana Citizen
October 31, 2024
For Hoosiers who have questions about voting or encounter a problem when a casting ballot, help is just a phone call away.
The Midwest Voting Rights Program at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is again offering the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline to provide answers and information to Indiana voters. Staffed by volunteer attorneys, the hotline is currently operating from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. On Election Day, the hours will be extended to match the hours polls will be open.
Calls or text messages can be sent to the hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
Voters who call after hours can leave a voicemail. Also, hotlines are available for non-English speakers.
“We take a problem-solving approach, so that anything that we can assist with immediately on the day of, or right away while voting is still open, to help someone gain access to voting is our first and foremost priority, especially right now when we’re in the midst of the election cycle,” Ami Gandhi, director of strategic initiatives and the Midwest Voting Rights Program at the CLCCR, said. “We are laser focused on helping voters with their very specific situations.”
The hotline has been available to Hoosiers since, at least, 2016.
Gandhi said voters, regardless of their backgrounds or political preferences, may call with any kind of question related to the voting process. The hotline can help callers find their polling place, get information about registering to vote, and navigate the rules and deadlines for mail-in voting. Also, the volunteers are available to assist voters in making a plan to vote.
Typically, Gandhi said, the legal volunteers are able to provide an answer that resolves the matter then and there.
“Sometimes people might not have even thought they had a question until they start getting more specific into their plans of visiting the polling place or of voting,” Gandhi said. “Sometimes people call us from the polling place or afterward to report on their experiences or ask a follow-up question.”
In the last month, Gandhi said, the hotline has fielded hundreds of calls from Indiana voters. The inquiries this year are different from the calls received during the 2020 presidential election, when voters, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, asked a disproportionate number of questions about public health conditions and voting by mail. Now, Gandhi said, Hoosiers are asking about long lines, electioneering at the polling places, the kind of identification required to vote, voting machines and even the ballots themselves.
“My observation is the people calling us feel very strongly about wanting their voice to heard, wanting their choice to be respected, and making sure that they can count on their attempt to cast a ballot and engage with our civic process,” Gandhi said. “It does seem that some voters are worried, understandably given the confusion and misinformation and anxiety that’s prevalent when it comes to election matters, but we talked to numerous votes who are open minded and determined about getting armed with the information they need in order to make sure that they can successfully complete the voting process.”
Along with offering the hotline, CLCCR will be deploying volunteers to Fort Wayne on Election Day to support the nonpartisan election defense program run by Court US IN, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to foster more inclusive and equitable political participation in Indiana. Gandhi said a small team of legal volunteers will be on the ground on Nov. 5 in that community because of concerns about voter intimidation and requests for legal assistance.
The Midwest Voting Rights Program at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is partnering with Count US IN, Common Cause Indiana, and other local organizations for election protection efforts in Indiana.
English: 866-OUR-VOTE
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US
Asian Languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali)/English: 888-API-VOTE
Digital outreach tools include 866ourvote.org, @866ourVote, and facebook.com/866OurVote
Hoosiers who have election questions or difficulty voting are encouraged to call the hotline.
“If we can provide any reassurance through our answers, provide some calming support and nonpartisan and credible information, we’re more than happy to do our part,” Gandhi said.
Dwight Adams, an editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org.
