Knowing YOUR Voting Rights

[Guest guest]

Don't Let Problems at the Polls

Take Away Your Right to Vote

 

We've read news reports about plans to challenge voters at polling

places around the country. Don't let some political hack deny you

your most fundamental right as an American citizen — your right to

vote. Below, we've created a short guide to protect your rights and

advise what to do if someone tries to take them away from you. I

encourage you to do two things:

 

 

1) Print out this email and take it with you when you go to vote.

That way, if you have any trouble, you'll know what to do — on the

spot.

 

2) Forward this email to everyone you know who might be voting

tomorrow. It may make the difference between their voting and not

voting.

 

Hoping you won't need this,

 

Andrew Greenblatt

Online Organizer

 

 

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A QUICK GUIDE TO AVOIDING PROBLEMS AT THE POLLS

 

Before you go to the polls:

 

Find your correct polling place.

http://www.mypollingplace.com. They are getting crushed with

requests, so if you don't get through right away, try again later or

just call your local Board of Elections.

To avoid confusion and save time, study the ballot. Check your local

newspaper for a copy.

Find a form of identification to bring to the polls. Unless you are

a first-time voter who registered by mail without sending

identification, you have the right to vote without providing ID.

However, to avoid hassles just bring ID anyway. A government-issued

ID is best (such as a driver's license), but you can also bring a

utility bill, paycheck stub, phone bill, or similar papers with your

name on them. If your ID does not have a signature, bring two forms

of identification.

Allow plenty of time to vote, preferably in the morning. There may

be lines. Bring something to read. If the line is really long,

consider getting a box of donuts or cookies to share to lighten the

mood. Someone might be challenging voters just to slow things up in

the hope that long lines will scare away voters. If this is

happening, let folks in line know so it stiffens their resolve to

stay and cast vote.

Learn your voting rights:

Even if you are not on the voter list, federal law gives you the

right to a " provisional ballot. " Insist on one and vote. A regular

ballot is preferable, so you should do whatever you can to get a

regular ballot first, like going home and getting a second form of

identification or going to the polling place where you are

definitely on the voter list. But rather than be turned away, demand

a provisional ballot.

You have the right to vote if you are in line when the polls close.

Stay in line until you vote.

Find out if your employer will give you time off to vote, if

necessary.

At the polls:

 

If you are confused about ANYTHING or feel you are being harassed,

ask the official poll workers to help. Do not rely on fellow

citizens for advice about the ballot, how the voting machines work,

or why you are not on the rolls. If someone is challenging your

right to vote, ask the poll workers to intervene.

If someone harasses you, don't cause a ruckus. Just ignore the

harasser, report it to a poll worker, and let the voting process

continue. What kinds of things might somebody try? Well, in the past

people have insisted on more ID than is required or argued that

someone is at the wrong polling place.

If something goes wrong, document it. Write down what happened,

when, and descriptions of the people involved, including their

names, if you can get them. If you have a camera or camera-phone,

take pictures.

Report voting problems to an organization ready to respond to

problems at the polls:

Common Cause: Call 1-866-MYVOTE1. This is a hotline you can call to

report any voting problems.

1-866-OUR-VOTE. This hotline has been set up by a coalition of

nonpartisan groups to deal with the most serious problems on

Election Day. They have hundreds of lawyers standing by to

immediately respond to the most egregious problems. 1-866-OUR-VOTE

is the " 911 " of voter suppression hotlines. Please don't call unless

your problem is serious enough that you have to talk to a lawyer

immediately.

Contact the media. If something is going terribly wrong at a polling

site and you have reported it to the folks above, you might want to

then call local radio, television, and newspaper reporters. Often

problems clear up quickly after a reporter arrives.

 

It's odd that it's come to this. But given how hard Americans have

fought for the freedom to pick our government, it ought to take a

lot more than these inconveniences and ham-handed attempts by

desperate political operatives to dissuade us from casting a ballot.

See you at the polls.