TAKE ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Tell Your Governor: Ban Guns At Polling Locations

As we look toward Election Day, the presence of guns at polling places — and the possibility of armed groups intimidating voters — is a very real, very grave threat to our human right to participate in political processes that are free from discrimination and violence.

That’s because the majority of states in the U.S. have no laws regarding armed private citizens in or around polling places.

It’s crucial that voters and poll workers are able to vote and work in safety. Please, urge your Governor to institute an immediate ban on guns at and near polling locations.

These precautionary measures would protect millions of voters and tens of thousands of poll workers. Use our simple tool to send an email directly to your Governor today!

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Cc: Secretary Blinken

I am writing as your constituent and a supporter of Amnesty International to urge you to use your power as Governor to institute an immediate ban on firearms at and near polling locations in order to ensure the safety of voters, poll workers, and people in the vicinity.

Ever since 2020, firearm sales have tremendously increased. Many states have passed legislation that has relaxed or eliminated laws that would protect communities from senseless violence. There has been a historic surge in firearm sales and firearm violence across the United States since 2020 and the start of COVID-19. The political unrest following the last presidential election continues to fuel the constant agonistic climate for this year’s election. The rhetoric of white supremacy, migrant rights, and reproductive rights has the potential of us seeing armed election monitors and armed voters at polls across the country. And the presence of firearms at polling places will only act as a force multiplier for violence, and could even result in abuses of the right to life.

While most jurisdictions across the U.S. limit armed law enforcement officers from within 100 feet of the voting booths, the majority of states have no laws regarding armed private citizens in or around polling places. I join Amnesty in calling on you and all U.S. governors to do everything within your jurisdiction to prohibit guns and firearms at all polling places and in the vicinity of voters standing in line to cast their ballots. Governors and Secretaries of State across the country can institute temporary measures to guarantee that polling places are free from intimidation of gun violence.

I also stand with Amnesty in strongly supporting a significant increase in local, state, and federal funding for gun violence prevention programs to address rising rates of violence — not just on and around election day, but for the long-term as well. In cities across the country, Mayors have recently reported a reduction in gun violence where programs have received consistent and elevated levels of funding. Amnesty believes that the federal and state governments have a duty to take positive action to address gun violence, especially where models exist that could reduce it while making a long term impact on systematically disenfranchised communities. We applaud states that have provided new and additional funding (through state budgets and ARP dollars), and encourage all states to increase funding for community violence prevention programs immediately, and prioritize increasing funding for these programs in future budget cycles.

Local leaders like you have the power to protect your constituents. I urge you to stand on the right side of history with your actions by announcing a complete ban on firearms around polling locations — and I look forward to hearing your response on this crucial matter.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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