LIBERADIO(!)

Greetings to you, lovers of participatory democracy!

This year’s presidential election has already begun (early voting in more than 30 states!) and reports of problems at the polls have started to surface. VotersUnite.org keeps a running list which includes faulty equipment, intimidation, long lines or other forms of systematic disenfranchisement, the dissemination of misinformation, and inadequate procedures and systems.

Although most of you will not have any problems at the polls this year, disenfranchisement can creep up on you like Michael Myers on Laurie Strode, so please take the time to read the 10 suggestions listed below to prepare yourself. (And for goodness sake, don’t go in the basement!)

1) Know the Rules Governing Elections in Your State
Don’t expect poll workers at your precinct to be experts in the rules that govern elections in your state. Although they are trained, they are also overworked and underpaid and can easily get confused by misinformation. Since each state has different rules and requirements for an election, make sure you know things like what ID requirements are needed, when you might be required to vote on a “Provisional Ballot,” whether or not you can wear clothing with your candidate’s logo, etc.. For instance, you should avoid casting a “Provisional Ballot” – which is a ballot that was set up as a safety-net for voters who might otherwise not be able to vote – because how and when these ballots get counted varies widely from state to state, and has resulted in a good number not being counted (1/3 of all provisional ballots were not counted in 2004). Although you might be offered a provisional ballot for legitimate reasons, these reasons are different in each state – so know the rules and you’ll be well-equipped to handle problems if they arise.

2) Check Your Registration and Check Your Polling Place
Even if you think you’re registered you may not be, as there have been reports of recent wholesale purging of voter rolls (see NY Times and Washington Post). Make sure you are registered to vote by checking online at www.CanIVote.org. Or, call your county election office. Also, know where you are supposed to vote before leaving your house. You can check you polling place at Google’s handy dandy poll location finder thingy (not the technical term). If you show up at the wrong precinct and try to vote, you will either be directed to your actual precinct or you will be given a provisional ballot. In this instance, avoid the provisional ballot (for reasons discussed in #1), and take the time to get your democracy-loving self over to your correct precinct.

3) Early Vote, If You Can
Check if early voting is possible in your state and then pick a day that’s not November 4 – and go vote. Besides alleviating the stress of getting to the polls on November 4th, early voting also allows you to take care of any problems that may crop up in time to vote another day!

4) Avoid “Straight Party” Voting
“Straight Party” voting means selecting a single bubble or box for a specific political party in order to register your vote for multiple candidates of that party. Fifteen states allow straight-party voting, and the laws vary widely from state to state. Do not use the “Straight Party” voting option if it’s available to you. Again, each state is different and some require that the presidential race not be part of a “Straight Party” voting option. So, even though you may think you’re voting for every race using the “Straight Party” option, you may not be. Voting may take a little longer when you don’t use the “Straight Party,” but it will give you more control over your ballot.

5) Verify Your Vote
Remember when your third grade teacher told you to “check your work?” Yeah, well, everything you need to know about verifying your vote you learned in 3rd grade.

6) At the First Sign of a Problem, Stop!
At the first sign of a problem with your machine (or if you have any other problems listed below*), stop what you are doing and ask to speak to the supervisor (skip the poll worker) at your polling location. Explain your problem. If they try and waive you off, call your main election commission and ask to speak to the election commissioner or someone who will satisfactorily address your issue. Keep in mind that many poll workers/supervisors will try and blame the voter. Do not leave your polling place until your problem is well-documented and addressed to your complete satisfaction and, if the problem is with the machine, that the machine is quarantined. If you can’t get the machine taken out of service, begin telling all the voters still waiting in line exactly which machine is having problems and try to get them to refuse that machine. Also, do not leave your polling place until you have cast your vote.

7) File a Report. File Several Reports.
Your local polling place will have incident reports that are specific to your county available to you. If they do not, call the county election commission and ask someone to bring one to you. Make sure that both you and the supervisor sign it. Do not leave without a copy of the signed report in your hands. Then, file a state report – info on how to do so can be found at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website or, call your state election commission.

8. Call the Election Protection Hotline
Report any incident to the non-partisan Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-Our-Vote, especially if you feel you are being bullied. This hotline can also help with filing reports and any additional grievances that you feel may not be taken seriously by your local election officials.

9) Video Your Vote
If possible, plan ahead for any problems by bringing a cell phone or video camera with you to Video the Vote (a national initiative to protect voting rights by monitoring the electoral process). If you encounter difficulties, or see others having problems, make a detailed record. Then, spread it around – local news media, YouTube, your own website or blog, etc.. Remember, the focus should be on gathering evidence and not telling stories. So, use video, audio, and photographs to document. If you do not have a means to record, then it is especially important for you to file a report (see #7) as well as write down names and phone numbers of witnesses, voting machine serial numbers, names of poll workers, and the time and day of your incident.

10) Never Let Anyone Tell You That You Can’t Vote.
We the People, indeed.

*Problems can include: machine problems (vote flipping, etc.), polling place problems (machines not set up on time), switching or closing of polling place, voters forced to vote on a provisional ballot, long lines/waits, intimidation, unusual ID demands, poll workers asking inappropriate questions, etc.

Please forward as you see fit and remember, the vote you save may be your own!