Amnesty International USA sent a letter on October 3, 2022, to governors and secretaries of state nationwide urging them to ban guns at and
Amnesty International USA sent a letter on October 3, 2022, to governors and secretaries of state nationwide urging them to ban guns at and near polling places to ensure the safety of voters, poll workers and people in the vicinity.
Amid rising political violence, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) called on governors and secretaries of state to enact measures to guarantee that polling places are free from intimidation of gun violence during the upcoming midterm elections. The letter references the political unrest that followed the January 6th attack on the Capitol, the increase in white supremacist violence across the country and other threats in asking governors and secretaries of state to do all they can to ensure voters’ safety.
“This year’s election with its supercharged rhetoric and issues including reproductive rights, gun rights, refugee and migrant rights, the war in Ukraine and economic issues has the potential again of seeing armed election monitors and armed voters at polls across the country. The presence of firearms at polling places will act as a force multiplier for violence and could result in abuses of the right to life,” the letter reads.
