Nonpartisan voter education effort will focus on the need for reproductive freedom and criminal justice reform
PHOENIX–Today, the American Civil Liberties Union announced plans to invest $850,000 to educate voters about key civil liberties issues at stake in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Race.
Candidates Julie Gunnigle and Allister Adel are running to be elected as Maricopa County’s top prosecutor. The ACLU is a nonpartisan organization and does not endorse or oppose candidates. The investment will go toward educating voters about the candidates’ policy positions.
“Arizona has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation. We needlessly lock up thousands of people who need treatment, not prison and it’s not making our communities any safer,” said ACLU of Arizona Campaign Strategist Analise Ortiz. “We’re getting involved in this important race because we believe too much is at stake. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has driven the growth in the state prison population for decades and we’re going to ensure voters understand the power their vote for county attorney has to bring about much-needed change.”
The ACLU’s investment accounts for voter education efforts in both the primary and general elections for Maricopa County Attorney. The ACLU plans to reach more than 300,000 voters with information about the candidates’ positions on key criminal justice reform issues, including marijuana prosecutions, police accountability, and the criminalization of abortion. The ACLU will contact voters through mail, digital advertisements, phone calls, and text messages.
The ACLU launched a website earlier this year to educate voters on the county attorney candidates’ positions: www.smartjusticeaz.org/mcao2020.
Regardless of who is elected, the ACLU of Arizona will continue to hold the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office accountable for the role it plays in fueling mass incarceration.
###
