Legal Volunteers & Rapid Response Teams Mobilize and Coordinate Efforts to Protect Democracy Ahead of the Illinois Primary Election on March 17
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2026
CONTACT:
Zindy Marquez
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
zmarquez@clccrul.org
Josefina Navar
HOPE Fair Housing Center
josefina.navar@hopefair.org
Legal Volunteers & Rapid Response Teams Mobilize and Coordinate Efforts to Protect Democracy Ahead of the Illinois Primary Election on March 17
Illinois residents are asked to store the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE and ICIRR Family Support Hotline at 855-435-7693 in advance of Election Day
CHICAGO, IL: With less than one week until the Illinois Primary Election on March 17, nonpartisan voting rights advocates, poll monitors, and rapid response team members are mobilizing to defend democracy and protect the right to vote. In the run up to Election Day, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago will be coordinating together to protect voter access as ICE remains present in Illinois and while the federal administration attempts to undermine elections across the country.
Protecting voting rights is as crucial as ever given the ongoing threats to our democracy and elections. Leading up to and throughout the day on March 17, volunteers trained by Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights will take calls to the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE and answer questions from voters across the state as they cast their ballots in the Illinois Primary Election. Volunteers will also serve as nonpartisan poll watchers in Chicago and several nearby counties to assist voters on the ground who might be experiencing issues like voter intimidation, polling place closures, language or disability barriers, or electioneering.
“Illinois voters - do not be intimidated by the divisive and false rhetoric meant to discourage your participation and silence your voice. Our democracy is strongest when every eligible voter participates in our elections,” said Ami Gandhi, Director of the Midwest Voting Rights Program with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “If you are eligible, please vote and ensure that your voice is heard. We know voters are concerned about federal overreach at the polls, and we stand ready alongside our partners to ensure every eligible voter can cast their ballot. We encourage voters to call 866-OUR-VOTE if they need help to make a plan to vote, whether it is voting by mail, voting early, or voting on March 17.”
Since the start of Trump’s second term, ICIRR’s Family Support Hotline has fielded thousands of calls per month from community members who have seen ICE in their neighborhoods or have had someone in their family taken by ICE agents. On Election Day and beyond, ICE sightings can be called into the ICIRR Family Support Hotline at 855-435-7693 so that local rapid response teams can follow up on suspected sightings near polling places or elsewhere. The hotline has been the primary way for community members directly impacted by ICE’s escalation to connect to legal and community resources, as well as broader litigation to protect against this ongoing federal overreach.
“This administration has been attempting to spread fear in our communities, and has shown that they are willing to infringe upon the rights of citizens and non-citizens alike,” said Rey Wences, Senior Director of Deportation Defense at ICIRR. “On Election Day and every day, we work with rapid response teams to document ICE activity and follow up with directly impacted families. The intimidation and violence brought to our communities is a direct assault on our freedoms and democracy.”
Every election cycle Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago recruits poll monitors to ensure that the right to vote is protected at polling sites in precincts with a high number of limited English proficient residents. At a time when both immigrant rights and the right to vote are under attack, it is even more critical to monitor for compliance as well as intimidation from ICE or anti-immigrant groups.
“All eligible citizens should be free to cast their ballot without intimidation and with the necessary language assistance afforded to voters by federal law,” said Grace Pai, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago. “Our trained poll monitoring team will be visiting polling sites in Chicago and the suburbs to ensure that all voters, including those whose dominant language is not English, are able to participate in democracy and have their voices heard.”
Illinois residents are asked to remember and save these nonpartisan hotlines for Election Day:
ICIRR Family Support Hotline: 855-435-7693
English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
For reporters seeking comment leading up to as well as on Election Day, please contact Zindy Marquez with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (zmarquez@clccrul.org) or Brandon Lee with ICIRR (blee@icirr.org).
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