FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2026
Contact:
Zindy Marquez
zmarquez@clccrul.org
Brandon Lee
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
blee@icirr.org // 773-259-5288
Legal Volunteers & Rapid Response Teams Mobilize to Protect Democracy
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 case of assistance
CHICAGO, IL, October 21, 2026: Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3, nonpartisan voting rights advocates, poll monitors, and rapid response team members are mobilizing to defend democracy and protect the right to vote. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago will be coordinating to protect voter access amidst looming threats of federal agents at polling sites and voter confusion around voting by mail this election season.
The back-and-forth legal battles at the federal level over vote by mail, a proposed voter screening tool, and threats to send ICE to the polls have created significant confusion, uncertainty, and fear for voters. It is more important than ever to have a trusted, nonpartisan resource to turn to in this environment – trained volunteers 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. Volunteers will also serve as nonpartisan poll watchers in Chicago and several nearby counties to assist voters on the ground who might experience issues like voter intimidation, polling place closures, language or disability barriers, or electioneering.
“Our multiracial democracy is strongest when all of us show up, speak out, and make our voices heard. The best thing voters can do right now is to make a plan to vote—Illinois voters have options and can plan to either vote early, vote in person, or vote by mail,” said Christina Beeler, Senior Counsel with the Midwest Voting Rights Program at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “We know voters are concerned about federal overreach at the polls, but voter intimidation is illegal, 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 assistance or have questions.”
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. Before and on Election Day, 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.
“While ICE presence at polling places in Illinois has not been confirmed, the federal administration continues to stoke fear in our communities and threaten to illegally send agents to polling places in an attempt to chill voter participation,” said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at ICIRR. “Our network of rapid responders as well as allies at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee and Advancing Justice | Chicago are ready to support families and protect our rights before and on Election Day. We encourage all eligible voters to make their voices heard.”
Every election cycle, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago recruits nonpartisan poll watchers 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 and county law,” said Grace Pai, Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago. “Our trained poll watching team will be visiting designated polling sites in Chicago and suburban Cook County to ensure that all voters, including those whose dominant language is not English, are able to participate in our democracy fully and freely.”
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, please contact Zindy Marquez with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee (zmarquez@clccrul.org) or Brandon Lee with ICIRR (blee@icirr.org).
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee, ICIRR, and Advancing Justice | Chicago will hold a joint press conference on Monday, October 26 at 10am to share these critical resources and remind voters of their rights in the week before Election Day. A full media advisory is forthcoming.
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