If you’re told you can’t vote, don’t walk away

If you’re told you can’t vote

by digby

People should not have to worry so much about this. But when you have the president of the United States tweeting out things like this…

Law Enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any ILLEGAL VOTING which may take place in Tuesday’s Election (or Early Voting). Anyone caught will be subject to the Maximum Criminal Penalties allowed by law. Thank you!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2018

Via CNN:

Even if your state doesn’t require an ID to vote, it’s best to bring one if you have one. Being over-prepared is just another layer of protection against voter suppression.

Remember that, most likely, you are LEGALLY ALLOWED to vote

What if you are told your registration didn’t go through, or you don’t have the required documents? Even if your registration is pending or your voter application has been wrongly purged, you are still allowed to vote.

According to the ACLU, if your qualifications are challenged, some states will have you sign a sworn statement that you satisfy your state’s requirements and allow you to cast a regular ballot.

Or, if you did forget your ID at home or have been removed from the registration system, you can cast a provisional ballot — a right all voters are entitled to by federal law.

If an individual declares that such individual is a registered voter in the jurisdiction in which the individual desires to vote and that the individual is eligible to vote in an election for Federal office, but the name of the individual does not appear on the official list of eligible voters for the polling place or an election official asserts that the individual is not eligible to vote, such individual shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot…
§15482, CHAPTER 146, TITLE 42 OF THE 2009 UNITED STATES CODE

However, you’re going to need to be your biggest advocate when it comes to provisional ballots: These ballots are typically kept separately from all other ballots, so make sure to follow up with your local elected officials to confirm they have looked into your qualifications and have counted the vote.

If you’re aggressively being questioned about your right to cast a vote, you can calmly and clearly state you are exercising your legal right to vote. Report the behavior to other poll workers and peacefully communicate your intent. You should also report such incidents to election hotlines or local and state officials as voter intimidation. You have a few options:

Call a state or local election hotline to report any problems you’re having with the voting process.

Call the Department of Justice voting rights hotline (1-800-253-3931) if you think your rights have been violated