Opinion: Democracy is under siege, so vote like your rights depend on it – San Diego Union-Tribune

Voters are entering the 2026 general election with deep concerns about democracy, abuses of power and whether election outcomes will be respected. The U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous Louisiana v. Callais decision in April set off a redistricting wave in the South that has diluted Black Americans’ political power and President Trump continues to launch direct attempts to undermine voters’ confidence in the country’s voting systems.

The Trump administration has attempted to weaponize the United States Postal Service to force states to interfere with how they administer mail voting, risking the disenfranchisement of millions of eligible voters. Attempts to end mail-in voting are part of this administration’s larger strategy to remove checks on presidential power by making it harder for voters to hold leaders accountable at the ballot box. To put the impact of these attacks into perspective, more than 13 million Californians voted by mail in the 2024 general election.

Access to voting should never depend on whether it benefits those in power. The ACLU is working tirelessly with partners on the ground to push back against efforts by President Trump and his administration to intimidate and threaten voters, and we will work together to safeguard this election and make sure every eligible vote is counted and honored.

From litigation to responding to threats at the state level to direct voter education, the ACLU is implementing our largest-ever election safeguarding initiative, a $24.5 million investment to ensure the midterms are fair, representative and reflective of the best of democracy.

The ACLU has developed a new response framework to address multiple threats to the 2026 midterms, including potential federal deployment and intimidation at the polls. State-by-state, our nationwide organization has worked to identify threats, map the landscape and capacity of potential partners, and determine where additional support is needed.

For many people of color, the right to vote came through generations of struggle, sacrifice and persistence — not by default. Voting is one of the most direct ways to carry forward the work of those who fought to be heard.

When the right to vote is threatened, communities of color, rural voters and older adults are often among those most affected by new barriers and intimidation.

That’s why the ACLU is preparing thousands of volunteers across the nation for poll and post-election monitoring, leading Know Your Rights trainings, hosting get-out-the-vote activations, preparing for possible mass mobilization efforts, coordinating local rapid response campaigns, and taking swift legal action in the courts when necessary to ensure that all voters can cast their ballots and have their votes counted.

With escalating abuses of power, it is more important than ever to plan ahead and know your rights. We encourage every eligible voter in San Diego and Imperial counties to visit the ACLU-SDIC’s 2026 general election webpage to learn about your voting rights and how to cast your ballot. If you have any problems casting your vote, please call our Election Protection Hotline at 619-232-2121.

As part of our election protection efforts, we are partnering with organizations leading poll monitoring efforts in both San Diego and Imperial counties to observe, monitor and report any potential issues on Election Day. We encourage folks interested in volunteering to help ensure fairness in the electoral process to fill out the volunteer form on our website.

Voting rights and civil rights are inseparable. When we vote, we hold our leaders accountable to safeguarding our civil rights.

The ACLU and all 53 affiliates across the nation, including the ACLU-SDIC, are working in the courts, in the legislative houses and on the ground every day to protect our rights and democracy itself. We will continue this work until the Constitution’s promises are fully realized and expanded.

Voters’ concerns about this election aren’t unfounded. The threat to our democracy is real.

The attacks are meant to make you feel hopeless and like your vote isn’t important. But that’s because it is. Your vote has power and they know it. The most impactful way you can meet this moment is to cast your vote and cast it early.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Don’t forget to make your voice heard by voting like your civil rights depend on it — because they do.

Chávez-Peterson is the executive director of ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties.