As early voting for the 2026 midterm election continues across Ohio, nonpartisan groups are working to identify and respond to any voting rights issues that may surface.
The NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and Common Cause Ohio all say they will be vigilant throughout early voting and on Election Day, as national anxiety rises over mail-in voting and federal officers at the polls. These groups will have volunteers to monitor polls with lawyers and election experts ready to resolve voting issues.
The NAACP has set up a virtual "war room" beginning with the last week of early voting. NAACP Senior Associate General Counsel Anthony P. Ashton said that the term war room calls back to when military advisors would gather in a room to strategize for battle.
“Because of technology, we can have people literally around the country who are all reporting,” Ashton said. “If there are issues in particular locations, we will know about them immediately, and we can look for ways to hopefully remedy the situation as soon as possible.”
In addition to working with over 2,000 local chapters, the NAACP will review citizen tips.
Anyone with knowledge of voting rights issues can report them by calling the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OURVOTE or emailing votemonitor@naacpnet.org.
Presence at the polls
The ACLU of Ohio will be taking a community-focused approach to assist and welcome voters at the polls.
The ACLU will station poll monitors at election sites across Ohio during midterm voting as part of its Election Protection program. Poll monitors are nonpartisan volunteers trained to answer questions, identify voting rights issues and assist voters in any other legal way.
Colin Marozzi, ACLU of Ohio advocacy director, said that poll monitors are extensively trained in Ohio election law, and all poll monitors will be wearing clothing that clearly identifies them.
“Everything that these poll monitors are doing is nonpartisan,” Marozzi said. “We are not asking who you are voting for. We are looking to share factual information and offer a calming, welcoming presence at the polls.”
The ACLU plans on stationing monitors at over two dozen polling sites around Ohio during early and election-day voting.
Common Cause Ohio also plans to have a physical presence at polling locations. Executive Director Catherine Turcer said poll monitoring is a collaborative effort between organizations.
“We focus together on deploying poll monitors all over the state just to be there on the ground to see what exactly is happening,” she said. “And if there are problems, to report it to the Election Protection Hotline, to report to the command center and then we'll spend time addressing the problems to the best of our abilities.”
Both the ACLU and the NAACP said they're prepared to respond to a variety of voting rights issues. They can answer questions about applicable forms of voter ID, respond to voter intimidation incidents, seek a resolution if voters are being incorrectly turned away from the polls, ensure accessible curbside voting and attempt to resolve any other issues or questions that may come up.
Identifying misinformation and intimidation
This increased emphasis on poll monitoring comes as a result of what Ashton called an all-out attack on voters by the Trump administration.
Over the past year, several executive orders that, according to Ashton, are intended to make it harder for people to vote, have been struck down after lawsuits from groups like the NAACP.
“A lot of what you've seen, I think, is being done to spread disinformation, suppress the vote,” Ashton said. “Your vote is extremely important. This is the time for you to stand up and cast your ballot, no matter what.”
Turcer added that misinformation can also be perceived as a form of voter intimidation and stressed the importance of obtaining information directly from the source.
"One of the things that I really encourage all of us to do is get your information from your board of elections," she said. "Get your information from the secretary of state at voteohio.gov, get good information, because one of the ways that we can end up not casting a ballot or not being able to actually have our voice heard on Election Day has to do with misinformation."
Marozzi said the Trump administration has attempted to manufacture confusion around voting in this election by attacking mail-in voting.
“This cycle, a lot more people are choosing not to vote by mail and instead are voting early,” Marozzi said. “It just increases the volume of people who are going to be going to vote early in person or on Election Day, so we're watching for longer lines.”
Groups are also worried about the Trump administration’s failure to rule out sending federal agents to the polls. Last month, a NAACP-led coalition sued the Trump administration to prevent federal agents from doing so.
Ashton said that stationing armed law enforcement officers at the polls is from an old playbook of voter suppression and intimidation.
“After the Civil War, when Black people in this country were given the right to vote, the way that they were prevented from voting was local sheriffs showing up at polling places, armed,” Ashton said.
Federal law prohibits voter intimidation and bars troops or other armed personnel from election sites.
“In this current climate, I think the faith of citizens that federal officials will operate within the scope of the law, and within their authority is tarnished,” Marozzi said. “We don't need (a federal presence at the polls. Our elections are already safe, secure and accurate.”
Tips for anxious voters
For voters who feel more anxious than usual about voting this cycle, Ashton, Marozzi and Turcer recommended making a plan on how to vote and voting early, if possible.
“The number one thing people can do to help have as successful a voting process as possible is to plan out when and how you are going to vote,” Marozzi said.
Marozzi added that the Ohio ACLU’s voter resource page has all the information a voter needs to need to create and execute a plan to vote.
Additionally, Turcer recommends going to the polls with someone else in tow.
"I really encourage people to go with a friend, with a neighbor, with a family member," she said. "Vote together. And then if you see something, call the Election Protection Hotline."
Ashton wants voters to know that they aren’t alone.
“There are a number of organizations, including the NAACP, who are behind the scenes fighting for your rights, making sure that you can cast your ballot, and that your ballot will be counted,” Ashton said.
The last day for early in-person voting is Sunday.
