Brooklyn NAACP Files Lawsuit to Overturn New York State Line-Warming Ban

BROOKLYN NAACP FILES LAWSUIT TO OVERTURN NEW YORK STATE LINE-WARMING BAN PROHIBITING NONPARTISAN GROUPS FROM PROVIDING FOOD AND DRINK TO VOTERS WAITING IN LINE.

Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn NAACP has filed a lawsuit against New York State over it's line-warming ban, which prohibits nonpartisan groups from providing food and drink to voters waiting in line.

Brooklyn NAACP has historically worked to celebrate people’s participation in our democracy. The branch holds voter rallies at polling sites and we want to offer water and other refreshments, particularly to those voters who face some of the longest lines to vote. The Line Warming Ban needlessly criminalizes such support, prohibiting Brooklyn NAACP and other entities like it from engaging in the protected expressive conduct of celebrating our democracy and the determination of voters willing to wait in long lines to exercise their right to vote.

Today, L. Joy Williams, President of the Brooklyn NAACP, released the following statement regarding the Brooklyn NAACP’s lawsuit to overturn the New York State Line Warming Ban:

“This lawsuit is to vindicate Brooklyn NAACP’s First Amendment right to celebrate people who show up to vote. The Line-warming Ban undermines the Brooklyn NAACP’s ability to engage in the protected expressive conduct of celebrating our democracy and the determination of voters willing to wait in long lines to exercise their right to vote by providing them with water, snacks, or similar small comforts while they wait. It is a brazen and cynical assault that is utterly unnecessary, and we will fight it”, said Williams. “Brooklyn NAACP has historically worked to celebrate people’s participation in our democracy, and this law inhibits our ability to do this critical work. However, we remain committed to celebrating civic activity and combatting all barriers keeping voters — especially voters of color — from the ballot box.” 

Full text of the lawsuit here. 

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Brooklyn Branch of the NAACP is a non-partisan organization committed to removing all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes and ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens.