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Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan will invest $300 million into 'safe and reliable' voting

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are committing to improve voting infrastructure this upcoming election season.

The couple will donate $250 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life to help local election jurisdictions hire staff and get the equipment they need this November. The other $50 million will go the Center for Election Innovation to assist state and local election officials.

"Due to the unprecedented challenges COVID-19 will have on voting across the country, election officials are working around the clock to make sure that every voter has the ability to participate safely and have their vote counted," Zuckerberg and Chan said in a statement. "These donations will help to provide local and state officials across the country with the resources, training and infrastructure necessary to ensure that every voter who intends to cast a ballot is able to do so, and ultimately, to preserve the integrity of our elections."

 Emily Birnbaum

Emily Birnbaum ( @birnbaum_e) is a former tech policy reporter with Protocol. Her coverage focuses on the U.S. government's attempts to regulate one of the most powerful industries in the world, with a focus on antitrust, privacy and politics. Previously, she worked as a tech policy reporter with The Hill after spending several months as a breaking news reporter. She is a Bethesda, Maryland native and proud Kenyon College alumna.

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