In the face of unprecedented threats to our most fundamental freedoms and our very democracy, the ACLU of Vermont and our colleagues at ACLU affiliates across the country have been hard at work preparing for the 2024 election and its aftermath. This has included developing non-partisan voter education resources and promoting get-out-the-vote efforts, as well as engaging in scenario planning for how our nationwide organization would respond to a future Trump or Harris administration.
As a nonpartisan organization, our legal and policy analysis has determined that although a Harris administration would present its own challenges to our civil rights and civil liberties, a future Trump administration and the implementation of Project 2025 would be disastrous. But the truth is, the ACLU was built for this moment—and we aren’t backing down. With offices in every state and over a century of experience defending civil rights and civil liberties, we have a proven playbook to draw from no matter who wins in November.
Building on our state’s progress
Vermont has some of the strongest protections for civil rights and civil liberties in the country, but there is more we must do to counter those who seek to turn back the clock on the progress we have made together.
To prepare for a potential Trump administration and the objectives described in Project 2025, for example, the ACLU has issued recommendations for bolstering Vermonters’ data privacy, building on existing immigrants’ rights protections, and strengthening oversight of law enforcement.
With these threats in mind, we urge state policymakers to prioritize legislation to:
- Impose stronger restrictions on the use of state and local resources to aid in federal immigration actions
- Stop the use of Vermont prisons for ICE detentions
- Increase digital privacy protections, particularly data that could be used to target people for activities that are legal under Vermont law (like seeking reproductive health care, or participating in a protest)
- Limit unnecessary police interactions
Get out the vote on November 5th
Implementing these kinds of civil rights and civil liberties safeguards is only possible if Vermonters vote their values on or before November 5th. As a part of our voter education campaign, we have created a legislative voter guide using the results of a survey of candidates for Vermont House and Senate. We asked candidates to share their views on some of the most pressing civil rights and civil liberties issues of our time, from criminal legal reform to economic justice and LGBTQ+ rights. To date, over sixty candidates have taken a “Smart Justice Pledge,” committing to support policies that reduce Vermont’s prison population and racial disparities in the criminal legal system.
Find out what candidates for office plan to do regarding the issues you care about
With election day approaching next week, the ACLU is encouraging voters who have not already mailed in their ballots to return them to your town’s ballot drop box or make a plan to vote in person on November 5th. Voters should consult with their town/city clerk’s office or visit their MyVoterPage on the Secretary of State’s website (mvp.vermont.gov) to confirm their polling location details.
In closing
We are calling on state leaders--and Vermont voters--to recognize the threats to Vermonters’ civil liberties posted by the 2024 general election. We urge lawmakers, administration officials, and municipal leaders to ensure Vermonters’ constitutional rights are protected through this election season and beyond through thoughtful policymaking. And, we urge voters to consider what is at stake in this election and be sure to vote their values at the ballot box—and encourage friends and loves ones to do the same.
