Our League is joining the League of Women Voters in its nationwide Day of Action on August 8, 2026 to commemorate the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark federal law that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, it enforced the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by striking down unfair state practices that prevented people of color from casting their ballots.
However, many of the protections within this law have been whittled away, section by section. The latest set back was the US Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which undermines protection against race discrimination.
Broward League Day of Action
August 8 is the first day of early voting for the August 18 election. We don’t know what is going to happen at the polls, but we would like to have as many members as possible volunteer to be poll monitors - at least for this one day. Please, if you are available and willing to be outside for 4 hours, join us to protect the right for everyone to vote on the first day of early voting in Broward County!
The League of Women Voters of Florida has been participating in the Florida Election Protection Coalition’s (FLEPC) coordinated nonpartisan poll monitoring program for at least the last five years. This coordinated program ensures that all Nonpartisan Poll Monitors have the same training and basic skill set, that Florida’s voting rights community has eyes and ears on the ground when and where they are most needed across the state, and the Florida Boiler Room/Command Center can rapidly respond to issues impacting voters.
As a Nonpartisan Poll Monitor, you will:
- Help make sure every registered voter gets to exercise their rights.
- Train to support voters by answering questions, reporting issues, and connecting voters denied the ballot to legal resources.
- Station outside of priority polling locations during early voting and election day (standard shift is 4 hours). You are located beyond the 150 ft no-solicitation zone.
Poll monitors do not and are specifically asked to not intervene in any unlawful or questionable activity they might see at the polls. A poll monitor observes and reports any issues to the Boiler Room/Command Center. A poll monitor may help a voter who has questions or who is having problems trying to vote.
In 2024, it was a League member who observed a Coconut Creek police person park their police car directly in front of the North Regional Library on the first day of Early Voting. Such an action is considered intimidating for certain groups of voters. The League member alerted the Election Protection Boiler Room, who contacted the Supervisor of Elections office. Within an hour, the car was moved – success!
To Volunteer, you must sign-up HERE before July 15. Please also send email to Monica Elliott (melliott@ufl.edu) and let her know you are volunteering so she has enough supplies on hand.
Training
You must complete the poll monitoring training via Zoom starting the week of July 20th, with multiple training dates and times offered. It lasts about 90 minutes. There is a short learning assessment (quiz) at the end of training.
Poll Monitors who have completed the quiz will be given a link to sign up for the poll monitoring shift location, day and time of their choice. Volunteers can ONLY go to the locations indicated in the sign-up app! The most critical early voting sites for monitoring have already been selected based on past activity. Those are the only sites you can sign up for because the Boiler Room/Command Center needs to know when and where there are poll monitors in the field. It also helps the Election Protection Coalition avoid overlap and ensure that priority polling locations are covered. Shifts are 4 hours long.
Tools for Poll Monitors
All trained poll monitors will be provided access to Whatsapp Group for Broward County and the FLEPC Poll Monitor Toolkit, which contains all the tools they need for their shift. LWVBC will provide Election Protection badges, t-shirts, and signs for all poll monitors, which is why Monica needs to know who is volunteering.
As a poll monitor, bring LOTS of water, sunscreen, an umbrella, a lawn chair and whatever else you need to keep cool and dry. Volunteers are OUTSIDE the polling location the entire 4-hour shift.
Please consider “Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy” on August 8 and become a poll monitor!