Democrats Mobilize Grassroots Army to Safeguard Democracy and Combat Right-Wing Disinformation
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The Democratic Party’s Association of State Democratic Committees is empowering tens of thousands of volunteers to defend voting rights, promote early participation, and fight back against the flood of right-wing misinformation ahead of the November midterms.
The Association of State Democratic Committees, a vital arm of the Democratic National Committee, has announced a sweeping, grassroots-driven initiative to train volunteers in all 57 states and territories. This ambitious effort, the New Battlefield Project, is designed to counteract voter suppression and right-wing intimidation by staffing about 25% of the nation’s 95,000 polling locations, with a focus on competitive districts where democracy is most at risk.
Volunteers, proudly wearing blue vests as a symbol of their commitment to free and fair elections, will offer assistance to voters in finding their polling places, understanding provisional ballot options, and meticulously documenting any attempts at intimidation or suppression. "We didn’t want to be caught flat-footed on election day or leading up to election day," said Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and president of the ASDC, emphasizing the urgent need to protect the vote from anti-democratic forces.
The program also features a robust national early-vote campaign, urging voters to cast ballots by mail or in person before Election Day, with targeted outreach to communities historically marginalized and vulnerable to interference. "The earlier you can vote, the better," Kleeb added, underscoring the importance of early participation in overcoming systemic barriers.
A third, critical component establishes a "democracy defense network" led by Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg. This network will coordinate efforts among state parties to expose and counteract disinformation, dark-money spending, artificial-intelligence manipulation, and other insidious tactics deployed by those seeking to undermine the will of the people and erode democratic norms.