Your Vote

[embers_log]

I think people here are aware of these issues, but I wanted to post this anyway:
The deadline for registration is immanent and I certainly hope that everyone here is registered to vote!  Then the next important step is making sure your vote counts.  In Danny Strong's Recount they mention that the only votes that can be counted are the ones that are

Comments

[fannyfae]

Why can we not have election obeservers in this country - the same way that the US seems to always send observers to other countries to make sure that there are no irregularities? I know that it was suggested last Presidential election, and of course it was flatly refused by the Bush Adminsistration.

As a US Citizen, I would personally be all for such a thing if it were to happen.

[ubiquitous_a]

You should have a right to cast a provisional ballot (held aside until a court rules on the situation, believe me: there will be free lawyers who will take your case!)

I met with someone last week who works at one of the local voting precincts here in Palm Beach County. The one thing she mentioned above all else is that you do NOT want to vote on a provisional ballot if you have any choice in the matter. Mainly she said this is because more often than not, provisional ballots, after being reviewed, will be thrown out as invalid.

I don't have anything to cite this with, just the warning of someone who has seen this process from the inside. Your mileage may vary.

[embers_log]

"you do NOT want to vote on a provisional ballot if you have any choice in the matter."

That is absolutely right, but the key words should be "if you have any choice", if the alternative is giving up and not voting at all, the THAT is when you demand the provisional ballot, which at least has a paper trail.

In Florida they knew that hundreds of thousands of people were turned away and didn't vote at all in the 2000 election, but nothing could be done to prove that effectively in court. Provisional ballots can be dragged into court if the situation gets dire.

Of course this is not the first choice! It is better to come with your identification, your proof of registration, the paper that shows that you are at the right polling place for your precinct, and everything else that some zealous poll watcher might try to demand; my point is just never take 'no' as a final answer!

[ubiquitous_a]

I completely agree! At the very least, if you were to be "challenged", a provisional ballot would at least demonstrate that you made a good faith effort to vote.

Mainly, I just wanted to share what this local person had said. I wasn't familiar with what a "provisional ballot" even was, so this information came as a surprise to me.

[babyslime]

My husband is American but we live in Canada. He was never registered to vote in the USA, but the last several races have been intense and made him want to. He tried and tried to register an absentee ballot in the Kerry/Bush election and came up against many obstacles before giving up. This time, he said, it's too important.
He FINALLY got something from the voter registration people in California yesterday, which said he can't register unless he provides his SSN# (which he provided on the original form). One angry phone call later and they said they'd send the ballot. Here's hoping.

[presenttense80]

Also on an important note - as with most large campaigns. The Obama team will probably have lawyers at as many hotspot polling places as possible. So if you have a problem look for someone from the team (in or out of the voting place). This has been done in previous campaigns and we have been able to track any issues by getting constant updates from these attorneys.
If you have a problem on election day and can not find such a person - call headquarters in your area and they may be able to direct you as to what to do next.
We need to be vigilante on these issues.

[presenttense80]

Also to add. Any problems that voters have that the campaign is made aware of is forwarded immediately to the Democratic Party. So it is very important to not back down when questioned at the polls and to contact the campaign as soon as possible.
Even if it wasn't you that had a problem but you saw someone else having issues or being hassled. We need to protect every voters right.

[embers_log]

yeah, the internet should make it much easier to get information out quickly if there are any problems...
and you know that the Obama campaign office will be taking these issues seriously.

[animaltalker]

Are there any rules against having cell phones at polling places? IF not I'd make sure I had mine with me with all sorts of numbers preprogrammed. Here in colorado I'm on the mail in list and now that's making me nervous are they really going to count our vote

[ubiquitous_a]

That's actually a REALLY good idea.