VoteRiders' Helpline Heroes Offer Lifeline to Confused Voters
By Erin Carden
Ahead of Election Day 2024, calls and texts to VoteRiders’ national Voter ID Helpline soared as voters faced unprecedented barriers to the ballot box.
By Erin Carden
Ahead of Election Day 2024, calls and texts to VoteRiders’ national Voter ID Helpline soared as voters faced unprecedented barriers to the ballot box.
This record-breaking activity reflects the extent to which millions of Americans may be confused and intimidated by unnecessary voter ID requirements—which are passing at alarming rates across the country.
For thousands of voters across the country, our Helpline was more than just a resource—it was a lifeline, ensuring they could make their voices heard in one of the most consequential elections in US history.
Supporting Voters Since 2016
Since 2016, VoteRiders’ free Voter ID Helpline has helped voters overcome unnecessary and expensive barriers to the ballot box created by voter ID laws. During the 2024 general election season, our Helpline soared to a new level of impact, receiving thousands of calls, texts, chats, and emails from voters nationwide—over 260% more than in the 2020 general election.
While the Voter ID Helpline’s primary focus is helping voters navigate changing voter ID requirements, our team also answers a wide range of voting-related questions, including how to register, where to vote, and how to fill out an absentee ballot. For questions beyond our scope of work, we connect voters with our robust network of trusted partners to ensure they’re supported at every step, including the Election Protection Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE).
Volunteers: The Heart of Our Helpline
Navigating voter ID laws in 2024 was more challenging than ever. Thirty-eight states
requested or required ID to vote, with 18 of these states adding new ID requirements since 2020. These changes left many voters unsure of their rights or abilities to cast a ballot.
To meet this challenge, our heroic Helpline team of over 120 trained VoteRiders volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the year, responding to nearly 18,000 inquiries—over 3,000 of which came in during the first week of November alone.
In early 2024, our Voter ID Assistance team started with just 12 recurring Helpline volunteers. To ensure we could support voters nationwide, we trained and onboarded over 100 additional volunteers. Then, in the final weeks of election season, 70 Helpline Volunteers filled 260 shifts, keeping the Helpline running from as early as 7:00 a.m. (ET) to the very end of the day at midnight.
Most ID help requests came from states that had recently changed their voter ID laws, with Texas, Florida, and Georgia leading at 11%, 10%, and 9%, respectively. However, voters from nearly every state in the country reached out for help.
Our research shows that 35% of citizens who live in states that do not have a photo ID law either mistakenly think photo ID is required to vote in person or are unsure what the law even is, underscoring how ID requirements affect eligible voters everywhere—not just in the 38 states with voter ID laws in place.
Personalized Support, Every Step of the Way
Helpline Volunteers provided direct and personalized assistance to every voter who reached out, answering questions tailored to their state’s voter ID law and individual circumstances. Whether helping someone cast a provisional ballot, guiding an 18-year-old through their first election, or ensuring voters without accepted ID understood their options, our team was ready to help.
To ensure voters are aware of the support available to them, we work with thousands of partner organizations nationwide to inform community members about VoteRiders’ Helpline and free ID services. Voters can learn about our resources through various channels, including flyers and state-specific Voter ID Information Cards distributed by our national, state, and local partners at community events across the country. We also share informational social media content to reach wider audiences and host in-person Voter ID Assistance Clinics at high school and college campuses, direct service centers, and other local sites to provide hands-on help.
Why Volunteers Choose VoteRiders
Dedicating time and energy to helping voters make their ballot count is a hugely rewarding and meaningful way to defend our democracy and make a tangible difference in the lives of everyday Americans.
Here’s what some of our volunteers have said about their experience with VoteRiders:
“I feel like I’m doing something to make the world a little better.” – Lori, Voter ID Assistance Volunteer Coordinator, Virginia
“There is no more rewarding work for me.” – Shelly, Voter ID Assistance Volunteer, Ohio
“I always feel like I helped somebody.” – Iris, Voter ID Assistance Volunteer, Florida
Real Stories, Real Impact: Spotlight on Native Voters and Voter ID
Native voters are among the many historically disenfranchised communities who face disproportionate barriers due to voter ID laws. One Native voter in Michigan called our Helpline after being wrongly told their federally recognized Tribal ID wasn’t accepted for voting:
“I am a Tribal member who just voted in Michigan. I showed the poll worker my Tribal ID, and they said I needed to show a state ID instead; otherwise, I would have to fill out an affidavit. My picture is on my Tribal ID, and the law says I need to present a picture ID at the polls. Also, my Tribal ID is a federal ID, but it doesn’t have a barcode on the back, and that’s what the poll worker told me I needed to have so they could scan it. But that is not what the law says. This is detrimental for Tribal voters. Many Tribal members don’t have a state ID or driver’s license, and now we’re being told to fill out affidavits needlessly.”
Our Helpline volunteer reassured the voter that they were correct—Tribal IDs are accepted under Michigan’s voter ID law. They recommended speaking to the poll manager and referred them to the Election Protection Hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE, for additional support if they received further pushback.
Making a Difference Every Single Day
Many people who reach out to our Helpline need an ID not only to vote but also to access daily survival necessities, including employment, stable housing, and life-saving medical care. The hurdles that come along with securing an ID can trap Americans in a maze of bureaucracy, often without resources, like time and money, to break free. At VoteRiders, we understand how critical an ID is for functioning and thriving in our democracy, and our team is here to help lighten the heavy load and make that process easier.
Here are a few words from voters we’ve helped this year:
Get Involved
At VoteRiders, we’re more determined than ever to fight alongside the millions of Americans who face growing barriers to the ballot box, ensuring their voices are heard despite deliberate and well-funded efforts to silence them. As 2025 unfolds, we’re preparing for an anticipated wave of new and even stricter voter ID requirements, making our work more critical than ever before.
Our voter ID services will shape key state and local races this year and help us prepare for next year’s crucial midterm elections. Whether you have a few minutes a month or a few hours a week, we need your help to fight for the democracy we all want and deserve.
To learn more and get involved, visit VoteRiders.org/Volunteer.
Erin Carden is VoteRiders’ Digital Communications Coordinator.
March 17, 2025.
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