LWV Releases 2020 Election Report

League protected 25+ million voters through election related litigation  & supported 6+ million on VOTE411.org 

WASHINGTON – Today the League of Women Voters released the 2020 Election Impact Report, an accumulation of the League’s work throughout the 2020 election cycle.  

“In an election year unlike any other, the League reached more voters than ever before, ensuring the American public had the information they needed to safely participate in elections,” said Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters. “Throughout the cycle, our Leagues pivoted our work to make sure voters had the most updated information on changes to election dates, rules, and options for casting their ballots. We are proud of our impact in the 2020 elections and look forward to building on this success in midterms next year.” 

The League of Women Voters 2020 Election Impact Report outlines the League’s election work from the primary season though the critical Georgia Senate runoff elections with a focus on the League’s award-winning election website, VOTE411.org.  

“The League worked tirelessly to ensure VOTE411 was consistently up to date throughout a tumultuous election season, with the latest election dates, rules, and polling locations, making it one of the most reliable election resources in 2020,” said Jeanette Senecal, senior director of Mission Impact. “For the first time ever, VOTE411 was accessible to Spanish-speaking voters. Our reputation for providing voters with trusted election information opened the door to more partnerships and opportunities to put the power of the ballot in the hands of more women, LGBTQIA+, low-income, and Spanish-speaking voters than ever before.” 

The 2020 election year also came with challenges to the ballot that required legal action. The League joined more than 70 federal lawsuits to protect and expand the right to vote. 

“More voters than ever chose to cast a ballot by mail in 2020, which was a clear indicator of the potential for increased voting options as well longstanding challenges at the ballot box for both voters and election administrators,” said Celina Stewart, chief counsel and senior director of Advocacy and Litigation. “With election administration rules differing across states and localities, the League filed lawsuits to ensure voters had the most uniform options to safely cast their ballot and the ability to correct any ballot errors in time to be counted.”  

With a victory rate of 78% in federal election lawsuits, the League’s court victories protected voting rights for more than 25 million voters. 

“There will be many lessons learned from the 2020 elections, and we should celebrate our successes, including the expansion of voter access, record-breaking early voting, and the wide-scale use of absentee and mail-in voting options,” said Dr. Deborah Turner, League of Women Voters board president. “This is what creating a more perfect union looks like, and we hope to see these expansions become a more permanent part of our voting system.” 

In the months since the 2020 election, more than 350 bills in state legislatures have threatened the freedom to vote, including unlawful voter purges and limits to mail-in and early voting that could severely decrease voter participation in future elections. The League continues to advocate for expanded voter access through the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Restoration Act, both of which would make permanent many of the voting provisions that contributed to the record participation of American voters in 2020. 

Read the full 2020 Election Impact Report on LWV.org.  

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CONTACT: Sarah Courtney | 202-263-1332 | [email protected]