Voting Rights Groups Train Hundreds of Poll Monitors Ahead of Elections

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ILLINOIS, October 27, 2026 — A coalition of voting rights organizations is preparing hundreds of trained poll monitors and poll watchers to observe polling places and report suspected voting-rights violations during the 2026 midterm election. 

The group is comprised of Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (CLCCR), Chicago Votes, Common Cause Illinois, Equity and Transformation, First Defense Legal Aid, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), the League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL), the League of Women Voters of Chicago, and Workers Center for Racial Justice. 

Hundreds of attorneys and other Illinois residents have been trained to serve in these volunteer roles, with many additionally accredited by their local election authorities.

These volunteers will be stationed in and around polling locations to identify and report suspected cases of voter intimidation, electioneering or election interference. The coalition has also established relationships with election officials across the state to develop clear lines of communication across the state. 

Poll monitors and watchers provide an additional, independent means of observing and reporting suspected voting-rights violations. They do not replace election judges, who are trained by the local election authorities and are responsible for administering polling places. 

Poll monitors and watchers are advised not to take action on their own. 

“We strongly encourage calls to the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline to report any issues at the polls,” says Christina Beeler, Senior Counsel with the Midwest Voting Rights Program at CLCCR. “Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, along with our partners at Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, manages a free, nonpartisan Election Protection hotline for reporting incidents, asking questions, and triaging complaints through appropriate channels to determine whether intervention or legal action may be appropriate.” 

Members of the group have worked together during previous elections to monitor the polls, but threats of interference and the spread of misinformation and disinformation have elevated the need to expand election oversight activities in 2026.

“We don’t want any voter to stay home on election day out of fear for their safety or concern that their right to vote will be challenged,” says Becky Simon, President of the League of Women Voters of Illinois. “What’s important on November 3 is that all eligible voters go out and vote.”

“We hope that this campaign instills confidence in voters that their rights and safety will be protected. Elections are for the people,” said Christian Harris, Executive Director of Common Cause Illinois. “It’s only appropriate that the public plays a role. Our broad coalition of partners are helping make that happen. When future generations tell the story of this election, the historical record will be clear; we did not back down, we did not throw in the towel, and we fought for the ideals laid out in our founding documents at every turn.”

The group encourages voters to be vigilant. Suspected election place violations may be reported by anyone by calling or texting 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) in Illinois or Indiana. Answers to frequently asked questions related to mail-in ballots, voter intimidation, and more can be found on this Midterm Election Guide. General information about the election and polling places can be found at VOTE411.org/LWVIL.

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