YORK, Pa. — We Are CASA will deploy more than 500 trained volunteers across York, Lancaster, and Dauphin counties on Election Day as part of a large-scale voter protection effort designed to help ensure eligible residents can cast their ballots without barriers.
The initiative is part of We Are CASA’s Poll Guardian program, a multi-state election protection campaign that will station more than 650 trained volunteers at over 200 polling locations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Georgia. Volunteers will monitor polling sites, document potential voting irregularities, help de-escalate incidents, and connect voters with reliable election information.
An additional 250 volunteers from Maryland and Washington, D.C., will travel to Pennsylvania through the organization’s Poll Guardian Justice Brigade to support local efforts in the three counties.
According to We Are CASA, Poll Guardians are trained to identify and report issues that may affect voter access, including language barriers, misinformation, inaccessible polling locations, and cases in which eligible voters are improperly turned away.
“In America, most of us believe voters should pick our leaders. But some people in power are trying to keep Black voters, Latino voters, new citizens, and other eligible voters from casting their ballot,” said Mirna Gonzalez, We Are CASA’s Pennsylvania Organizing Director. “Most of us want every eligible voter to vote and every vote counted. Our democracy depends on it.”
Volunteers will be strategically assigned to polling locations serving diverse communities throughout the region.
The organization says its work builds on years of voter protection efforts, particularly for communities facing language-access challenges. In York County, We Are CASA’s Poll Guardian program documented difficulties experienced by Spanish-speaking voters, helping spur community advocacy and legal action.
The effort led to a landmark 2023 settlement between York County and LatinoJustice PRLDEF on behalf of We Are CASA members and Puerto Rican voters. Under the agreement, the county committed to providing bilingual Spanish-language sample ballots at all 161 precincts and official Spanish-English ballots at 33 precincts. The settlement also expanded Spanish-language accessibility on electronic voting machines.
Advocates say the outcome demonstrates how documenting barriers at polling places can lead to lasting improvements in voter access and election participation.
We Are CASA is also encouraging Pennsylvania residents to take note of key election deadlines, including the voter registration deadline ahead of the November elections.
Residents interested in serving as Poll Guardians can register through the organization’s volunteer program.
Link to: volunteer and travel into Pennsylvania as part of the Poll Guardian Justice Brigade
More information for: Hands Off PA
