Joshua A. Douglas - Vote for US: How to Take Back Our Elections and Change the Future of Voting

Whenever I finish reading a book, I flip to the acknowledgments section to see who the author thanksand I'm always amazed at the sheer number of names on the list. How does writing a book require that many people?

Now I know.

Although I am the authorand any errors are mine alonethis book is a product of numerous people's dedication and hard work. I am forever in their debt.

My agent, Lucy Cleland, and the entire team at Kneerim & Williams, believed in this project from its inception and guided me through the early writing process. Thanks, Lucy, for recognizing the power of positive stories. I'm so glad to have you by my side.

My sincere thanks to Will Carroll, Rowan Reid, and Jordan Shewmaker, my incredible team of research assistants, who looked up sources, drafted endnotes, worked on the appendix, and edited every part of this book. Your efforts made this book significantly better. I'm impressed how each of you took on an incredible amount of work for this book while still excelling in your law school classes. I am proud you were my students and I know that you will all be excellent lawyers. Thanks also to the UK College of Law for funding this research.

Thanks to Jake Bonar, Bruce Carle, Hanna Etu, Mark Hall, Jill Maxick, Steven L. Mitchell, Cate Roberts-Abel, Jade Zora Scibilia, Nicole Sommer-Lecht, and the entire team at Prometheus Books for focusing my arguments, improving my prose, and making the book ready for publication. Thanks also to Denise Roeper of Eloquent Edits for her copyediting expertise.

Numerous friends and acquaintances read chapters, discussed ideas with me, sent me leads of individuals to contact, and provided valuable feedback. I'm so flattered that people from all walks of my life became engaged in this work. Thanks to Aidan Ackerman, Matt Alford, Scott Bauries, Keith Blasing, Tanya Boulmetis, Joshua Cardenas, Tim Crosby, Matt Douglas, Irma Fallon (hi Mom!), Brian Frye, Roz Heise, Ashley Hinzman, Jen Hitchcock, Marni Karlin, Phil Keisling, Tim Lytton, Tim Male, Patrick Marley, Estevan Muoz-Howard, Laurie Nichols, Chris O'Brien, Joe Oliveri, Mike Pitts, Mosh Prederick, Rob Richie, Zack Roth, Jean Shiner, Alison Smith, Beau Steenken, Chris Stewart, Steve Trout, Ramsi Woodcock, Rob Yablon, and Bill Zapf. Special thanks to Chris Bradley and Adam Eichen, who each reviewed a rough version of the entire manuscript and provided helpful insights. I'm so honored that all of you took the time to read early drafts and give me so much useful guidance.

I gained valuable feedback when I presented my ideas to the faculty of the Georgia State University College of Law, at the Unrig the System Summit in New Orleans, to the Journal of Law & Public Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and to my own Election Law students at the University of Kentucky College of Law. Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts with me. I'm especially grateful to my UK Law students, who are among the best in the nation.

Many people spent hours to meet with me, either in person or on the phone, to relay their stories of positive, grassroots activism in their local communities. I'm so grateful to have learned about your efforts and I have been honored to tell your stories in this book. Thanks to Scott Abbott, Julie Archer, John Avalos, Kyle Bailey, Elizabeth Battiste, Anastasiya Bolton, Harry Boyte, John Brautigam, Bill Bystricky, Kat Calvin, Joshua Cardenas, Adele Carpenter, Brian Corley, Josh Daniels, Scott Doyle, Carlos Duarte, Alan Durning, Trish Everett, Benjamin Fabian, Katie Fahey, Chuck Flannery, Eli Frankel, Juan Gilbert, Michael Haas, Benjamin Hardy, Alissa Haslam, Nicolas Heidorn, Steven Hill, Jenifer Hitchcock, Andres Idarraga, Phil Keisling, Paula Lee, Jessie Logan, Tim Male, Patrick Marley, Brittany Marrs, Michael Martirone, Molly McGrath, Andy McLaughlin, Amber McReynolds, Estevan Muoz-Howard, Tammy Patrick, Maria Perez, Hannah Pingree, West Powell, Rob Richie, Denver Schimming, Jean Shiner, Alison Smith, Craig Stender, Chris Stewart, Willie Sullivan, Kathy Swan, Dana Trahan, Steve Trout, Whitney Westerfield, Dick Woodbury, and Gina Zejdlik. There's a reason I've called you all Democracy Champions.

Numerous people helped me understand the publication process for a trade book. In particular, I'm grateful to Ari Berman, Emma Berry, Adam Eichen, and Zack Roth for their guidance.

My family is my rock and I am continually humbled by their love and support. My wife, Bari, will always be the light of my life. Thanks for enduring late nights and long weekends while I wrote, and for finding key typos before publication. My kids, Caitlyn and Harrison, are my everything. Thanks for bringing me so much joy. A quick story: I'll never forget the day that Caitlyn and I spent at a coffee shop while I edited this book. She read her own book for a little while but then asked if she could read the draft chapter I was reviewing. She read it diligently and with tons of interestand she was only seven! At one point she asked me what disenfranchisement means, but otherwise she seemed to understand most of it. Thanks to my twin for showing so much interest. Harrison, at three years old, your biggest contribution was interrupting me with a big, goofy smile while I wrote or asking if we could go to the backyard to play baseball. I sure needed those breaks! The baseball references I put in this book were mainly for you.

Finally, I want to thank all readers of this book for considering how to improve our democracy through positive reforms. I firmly believe that academics need to engage the public to make their work have true meaning. I hope that this book helps in that effort.

Now go vote!

This appendix lists various organizations working on issues discussed in this book: voting rights, election law, redistricting reform, campaign finance reform, voter engagement, civic education, and other relevant topics. The first section lists organizations from every state and the second section lists national organizations grouped by their main focus. I have included mostly nonpartisan organizations, though I have indicated where a group may have a clear partisan agenda. Many of the national organizations, such as the ACLU, Common Cause, FairVote, and the League of Women Voters, have chapters in each state. I have listed some of those local chapters in states where the chapters have been particularly active in recent years.

No list of organizations can be comprehensive, as new groups are formed every year and others may go dormant. The information presented here is accurate as of this writing. Hopefully this list will give you a place to start your own advocacy for positive enhancements to our democracy. Please contact me if there are organizations in your state that I should include in a future edition.

STATE ORGANIZATIONS

Alabama

ACLU Alabama | | P.O. Box 6179, Montgomery, AL 36106 | (334) 265-2754

This chapter of the ACLU is involved in a myriad of campaigns to protect voting rights. One of these campaigns, the Voting Rights Restoration Clinic, provides assistance to people with felony convictions to restore their right to vote. To find upcoming clinic dates or to volunteer, visit aclualabama.org/en/campaigns/voting-rights-restoration-clinics.

Alabama Rights Restoration Coalition |

This newly established organization lobbies for the automatic restoration of voting rights for individuals convicted of felonies. It emphasizes the importance of civic engagement to reduce recidivism rates. It has a contact form for individuals who want to have their voting rights restored.