Voting Rights Attorney, ACLU, San Diego, CA

Voting Rights Attorney

Posted on: June 21, 2013
Application deadline: July 15, 2013
Posted by: American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego & Imperial Counties

DESCRIPTION

The ACLU and ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties seek a voting rights attorney who will help protect civil rights and civil liberties by coordinating the ACLU's policy work to reduce barriers to voter registration in the state of California. The voting rights attorney will work under the supervision of the director of the ACLU of California's Voting Rights Project, and will work closely with the ACLU's legal, policy, field/organizing, and communications teams to build a statewide infrastructure for voter registration at state and local agencies.

The ACLU fights for individual rights and fundamental freedoms for all, through education, litigation, policy advocacy, and organizing. The ACLU promotes and defends civil rights and civil liberties, including First Amendment rights, equal protection, privacy, and due process. The San Diego ACLU works collaboratively with the ACLU affiliates headquartered in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and with a lobbying office in Sacramento. Together, the three affiliates have more than 110,000 members and 130 staff in California.
Located in beautiful San Diego, the ACLU affiliate covers the length of California's border with Mexico. It has 23 staff members, 22 board members, 9,000 members, and an annual budget of $3.1 million. San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California. San Diego County has the third largest number of registered voters in California. Imperial County is the poorest county in California.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate a multi-county project to develop the infrastructure for increased voter registration opportunities.
• Facilitate and maintain relationships with state agency leaders and policy makers to ensure full implementation of state and federal laws relating to voting rights.
• Develop and maintain relationships with other ACLU affiliates, state and local government stakeholders, and local, state and national policy advocates and networks.
• Monitor and analyze state and national policies, trends and issues related to the project and recommend courses of action when necessary.
• Work with allies and other ACLU affiliates in California to prepare legal responses to voting rights issues that affect the state of California.
• Create a system of research and documentation for the project, including the development of ACLU's statistical research capacity. Generate quarterly reports in relation to the project and produce any required grant reports and/or future funding applications.
• Create quarterly work plan and confer with the Project Director as necessary.
• Contribute to other projects as needed by the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

The candidate must possess a minimum of three years experience in elections, civil rights and social justice work. Experience with election law and policy preferred. He/she must have excellent skills in research, writing, and complex data analysis; possess the ability to plan, organize and implement a multi-county project; analyze legal compliance and advocate for state level policies; have the initiative and ability to exercise good judgment; and have an understanding of and commitment to the goals and values of the ACLU. The candidate must be willing to travel and spend multiple days per month in the Bay Area and Central Valley. The candidate must have a driver's license and proof of insurance.
Fluency in Spanish desired but not required.
Education: J.D. and California Bar Admission

HOW TO APPLY

Interested individuals must send a cover letter, resume, list of references, and an analytical writing sample (no more than 5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font), preferably by e-mail to jobs@aclusandiego.org or by mail to:
ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties
PO Box 87131
San Diego, CA 92138-7131