Thread by @acslaw

We'll be live-tweeting our panel on democracy starting now. Follow #ACS2020 to hear highlights from our fantastic speakers: @staceyabrams @JocelynBenson @MALDEF's Thomas Saenz & @ProfTolson!
acslaw.org/2020-acs-natio…

In introducing Abrams, ACS member @jamandell notes that when the work of democracy seems daunting, @staceyabrams inspires! #ACS2020

Our collective mission is to ensure the integrity of our democracy, says @staceyabrams. We are at our strongest when every vote can be counted and every voice can be heard. #ACS2020

Abrams: We know that 21st century voter suppression does not look like 20th century suppression. Today it is a labyrinth of laws and rules and administrative hurdles. #ACS2020

What happened in Georgia was a combination of malfeasance and incompetence. Both of which are curable problems. @staceyabrams speaking at #ACS2020

The policies of our nation reinforce either the best that we are or the worst we can be. My challenge to you is to help us be the best that we can be. @staceyabrams #ACS2020

We need to work to sign people up long before the November elections - we need to be doing this work now so that people know their rights and are involved in the process. @staceyabrams #ACS2020 #Election2020

Elections at a time of global panic are not unprecedented, we know from these experiences that we need to plan for successful elections - they don't just happen on their own, @ProfTolson #ACS2020

In their decision on the Wisconsin primary, #SCOTUS made it more difficult to make sure that people were able to vote -- @ProfTolson #ACS2020

.@JocelynBenson --Michigan has had 2 elections this year and we didn't postpone, because even in times of great uncertainty we need to be able to be certain that elections will be held. #ACS2020

.@JocelynBenson -- 99% of voters who participated in Michigan's May 5th elections participated in vote by mail. By ensuring people had safe choices of how to vote, we demonstrated how to run an election during a pandemic. #ACS2020

.@JocelynBenson -- Everyone watching today should volunteer to be an election worker in November. We need you! #ACS2020 #Election2020

.@JocelynBenson describes the 3 pillars to a successful election:
✅(1) infrastructure to distribute and count ballots,
✅(2) robust voter education on how to ensure your vote is counted,
✅(3) campaign to counter misinformation. #ACS2020

Thomas Saenz of @MALDEF: November is important not just for federal elections, but people who win at the state level this year will decide our congressional districts and boundaries for the next 10 years #census2020 #ACS2020

Saenz: We need to put mechanisms in place to make sure legitimate vote-by-mail ballots are counted -- ballots should be counted based on when they are mailed, not when they are delivered. #ACS2020 #Election2020

Saenz: This is the second presidential decision post-Shelby County, which means we need to rely on people in the community to identify voter suppression and bring it to our attention so we can challenge them in court. #ACS2020

.@JocelynBenson -- Mailing absentee ballot applications to every registered voter in Michigan has helped our voter education effort by making sure voters know their options of how to vote in November. #ACS2020 #Election2020

.@ProfTolson -- We need to pivot to this new reality where we will not know who the winner is on Election night. It may take several days. #ACS2020 #Election2020

The death of George Floyd has led people to recognize that to have meaningful systemic change you need to protest and you need to vote. -- @ProfTolson #ACS2020

Saenz: In Texas you can only vote by mail in limited circumstances and Texas courts have said that fear of a pandemic is not a sufficient reason to vote by mail. We need to fix that. #Elections2020 #ACS2020

.@JocelynBenson -- The more choices you give voters the better -- robust vote-by-mail, early voting, and safe in-person Election Day options are all needed. #Election2020 #ACS2020

Saenz of @MALDEF : We all need to equip ourselves and be ready for the false narrative. If there is an increase in the counting of votes, there will be allegations of voter fraud rather than recognition that this is a success of our democratic enterprise. #ACS2020

Thank you to our speakers for a terrific discussion about #Election2020: @staceyabrams, @JocelynBenson, @MALDEF's Thomas Saenz & @ProfTolson. Video of this panel available here: acslaw.org/2020-acs-natio… #ACS2020