PROTECTING EVERY VOTE

THE IMPACT

As the Trump administration intensifies its midterm election interference, we’re working with Governors to protect the votes of eligible Americans – and every state’s authority to administer its elections.

THE BRIEF

With voting already underway, the Trump Department of Justice (D.O.J.) sued California, claiming without evidence that more than 20,000 people on its voter rolls are “likely” noncitizens, and demanding that their ballots be set aside.

On behalf of a bipartisan group of former governors, we filed an amicus brief arguing that the Constitution and Congress put states in charge of running elections, and that the President has no power to override a state’s voter eligibility safeguards. The D.O.J. demand is “a direct assault on our democracy and our constitutional order” that would  “force local officials to violate state and federal law,” the Governors warn.

THE TEAM

Free + Fair is working pro bono with Governors Action Alliance on behalf of the former governors.

THE GOVERNORS

• Neil Abercrombie, Governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014
• Jerry Brown, Governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019; Secretary of State of California from 1971 to 1975
• Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon from 2015 to 2023; Secretary of State of Oregon from 2009 to 2015
• Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana from 2013 to 2021
• Arne Carlson, Governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999
• Chet Culver, Governor of Iowa from 2007 to 2011; Secretary of State of Iowa from 1999 to 2007
• Gray Davis, Governor of California from 1999 to 2003
• Mark Dayton, Governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019
• Jim Doyle, Governor of Wisconsin from 2003 to 2011
• Parris Glendening, Governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003
• Jennifer Granholm, Governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011
• Bill Graves, Governor of Kansas from 1995 to 2003; Secretary of State of Kansas from 1987 to 1995
• Gary Locke, Governor of Washington from 1997 to 2005
• Jack Markell, Governor of Delaware from 2009 to 2017
• Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018
• Janet Napolitano, Governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009; United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013
• Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015
• Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015
• Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois from 2009 to 2015
• Marc Racicot, Governor of Montana from 1993 to 2001
• Bill Ritter Jr., Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011
• Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009
• Steve Sisolak, Governor of Nevada from 2019 to 2023
• Eliot Spitzer, Governor of New York from 2007 to 2008
• Tom Vilsack, Governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007
• Bill Weld, Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997
• Christine Todd Whitman, Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001
• Tom Wolf, Governor of Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2023