Community Shows Up for Nonpartisan Election Protection Training
The Alliance Center, Free Speech TV , Common Cause Colorado hosted a nonpartisan Election Protection Training on September 24, 2026
The training centered on a the idea that it takes work to ensure every eligible voter can access the ballot box. It takes the community showing up for each other across the whole state. Attendees learned what nonpartisan election protection looks like in practice; and left with concrete, immediate ways to get involved.
What really stood out most was the compassion in the room. Folks were there to connect and to make sure every voice will be heard this November. There was a real focus on helping people feel safe and included, not on drawing political lines. That spirit carried through the breakout discussions, too; when the group talked through what to do if someone was intimidating voters at the polls, the first idea offered wasn't confrontation, it was compassion, with a focus on making sure everyone present feels safe.
The training also included a grounded threat assessment, walking through the real risks to free and fair elections and how to recognize them early. Attendees left with information on where to turn for support, including the Election Protection Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) (available in 10 languages) for anyone with questions about voting or who runs into a barrier at the polls on Election Day.
At its core, election protection work is simple: help voters know their rights, help election officials solve problems in real time, and make sure people have somewhere to turn if they run into trouble. That's the same spirit that shaped this week's training.
Some of the ways you can plug in, even if you missed it:
Serve as a nonpartisan poll monitor
Get a yard sign
Have conversations with neighbors and community members in the days ahead
(You can sign up for any of these opportunities and more here)
Common Cause Colorado has long helped voters across the state navigate the voting process and cast their ballot without obstruction, confusion, or intimidation. Their work gives a good sense of what this kind of nonpartisan, community-based support looks like in practice. In 2024, that included:
Over 300 volunteers helping monitor polls, report issues, and assist voters across 62 Colorado cities and 8 college campuses
Attorneys staffing the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, answering over 600 calls from Colorado voters, through the collaborative Just Vote Colorado coalition
Bilingual voter education materials in English and Spanish reaching hundreds of thousands of voters
Coordinated partner responses to disinformation and administrative hiccups as they came up
Volunteer and partner trainings on election protection and de-escalation
A huge thank you to Free Speech TV and Common Cause Colorado for partnering with us on this, and to everyone who showed up ready to support their neighbors and community. There's still time to get involved before Election Day. Fill out the Common Cause Colorado Form here to get involved!
