ALCU of Nevada Seeks Emergency Court Order to Prevent Ongoing Voter Intimidation at Desert Breeze Community Center

LAS VEGAS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is seeking an emergency court order in Clark County to stop what the civil rights organization says has become a pattern of repeated voter intimidation at Desert Breeze Park.

With Nevada’s Early Vote period coming to an end in a few days, the organization has filed legal action seeking immediate intervention from the court after observers and voters have repeatedly reported voter intimidation when voters showed up to cast their ballots at Desert Breeze. The organization says Desert Breeze’s physical composition makes it unique, with a narrow 15-foot-wide pathway connecting the parking lot and the voting area and with no other way to access the voting area.

The ACLU’s court documents say multiple voters on multiple days reported being unable to get inside of the voting area without being “followed and berated.” The group shared reports involving vulgar and sexual epithets hurled at voters, repeated following and video recording of voters on the pathway as they attempted to enter the voting area, obstruction by individauls and groups of the entrance to the pathway, and even a recorded assault on video where an unknown woman thrust a bullhorn into a voter’s face after shouting an anti-gay slur at the voter.

Thursday’s complaint asks the court to order Clark County to provide Nevada voters clear access to the entrance of Desert Breeze by removing any barriers and people from blocking the ingress and egress on Election Day.

ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah (he/him) said:

“No Nevada voter should ever have to traverse a path of individuals berating them, recording them, and/or assaulting them as they attempt to enter a voting area. That isn’t simply my opinion, it is also what the Constitution requires. Everyone should be able to express themselves and their political viewpoints and engage in First Amendment activity, but what has happened at Desert Breeze is not protected First Amendment activity, it’s voter intimidation, plain and simple. The voting location at Desert Breeze, in its current configuration, has led to voter intimidation that can be prevented through issuance of a court order ensuring the single, narrow pathway to enter into the voting area is cleared of this lunacy. Voters should never be forced to walk a gauntlet of intimidation to exercise their right to vote, regardless of whom or what they vote for. Issuance of a court order here will clear up any confusion for the county or LVMPD so we can get through Election Day without further incidents.”