Exercise Your Right!

 

On November 3rd, 2020 we will have the Election of a Lifetime in the USA, and voter suppression is in effect.  In the election of 2016 we did not know how much foreign influence was present and that election was riddled with mishaps and Fraud.  Now, we know better. The difference with this upcoming election is that the two people wanting your vote have presidential experience.  We have lived thru four long years with the Incumbent and the other candidate was a Vice President for eight years.  While in-person voting appears to be safer than expected, mail-in voting looks more dangerous. Not because of fraud, but because of human error and partisan politics. Because of Covid19 many voters decided to use the mail-in vote option. But, mail-in votes require several steps, and vary by location and state, such as: postmarking the ballots, signing in various places, and using the proper number of envelopes. For that reason, it can confuse first-time voters, and even some experienced voters.  As voters and states are struggling to adhere to new rules, the GOP is fighting to limit the admissibility of mail votes.

The Pennsylvania GOP has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn state law and declare invalid any ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if they are postmarked before November 3. That state’s Supreme Court recently ruled to throw out “naked ballots”. . . mail votes that aren’t sealed within two different envelopes, which could invalidate hundreds of thousands more votes.  This is why I have decided to vote in-person during the Early-Voting period.  Just this week in Georgia so many brave souls stood on lines for more than 8 hours just to exercise their right to Vote.  If you are committed to voting this November, but on the fence about how to do so.  - Do it in person. Vote early if you can. Wear a mask, pack a sandwich, umbrella and maybe a beach chair.

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There’s so much Noise about this Election and the granting of power to people who choose not to be civil to others. We heard loud and clear. . {"Stand down & stand-by" to Gangs & white supremacists}. It appears that the current white house resident, has decided not to vacate the premises if he loses the election.  But, gimme a minute to break this down . . . Yes. There is a very good chance there will be legal challenges over this election!  Under the Constitution, a new president takes the oath of office on January 20, at noon.  If no one has met the criteria to win the election; either with a majority in the Electoral College or being picked by the House; the next person in the line of presidential succession takes the oath until the election can be brought to a close. The person in line after Trump & Pence is The Speaker of the House. For Trump to refuse to leave, he’d essentially be seizing power in a coup and shredding the Constitution. That seems very unlikely and almost impossible.

What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?
This gets complicated. If there’s no clear winner from the Electoral College, the House of Representatives is in charge of picking the president. But each state gets only one vote. That means California, with it's dozens of congress representatives, gets the same power as Wyoming, North Dakota or South Dakota. And it’s the Congress that is elected in November that gets to pick.

Voting is a fundamental and essential component of participating in a democracy. But throughout the US history as a nation, systemic erosion of voting rights has been used to erase the voices of minority populations. Do you know what is on your ballot this year?  See a sample copy Here.

MORE VOTING FAQ's

If you get an email with a link to Vote Online. Is it Safe?
"Danger"!  There is no online voting option in US presidential elections. You might register to vote online. You might request an absentee ballot online. You might check your registration online. You might check the status of your mail-in ballot online. But, you do not vote Online in the USA. What you received is very likely a phishing scam.

Just moved to a new state recently. Can I register to vote in that state right now?
Residency rules vary by state. In some states, you may be eligible to register to vote in your new state immediately upon moving. In others, you may need to wait a certain number of days or be living in the state for a certain amount of days before you register to vote in the next election. A state cannot require you to live there for more than 30 days to register to vote. Check out Election Center for information on your state.

I live abroad. How do I register to vote?
You should contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program. The website is http://www.fvap.gov. They specialize in getting people in the armed forces and people living abroad registered to vote. The rules for people in the armed forces or abroad are different than for people living in the United States. The FVAP can also be reached at (800) 438-VOTE.

I am a student. Can I register to vote at my school address?
YES! You have the right to register to vote at your school address – this includes a dorm room. Any student living in a dorm is entitled to the same rights as any other student. To imply otherwise is illegal. If you receive mail in a Post Office box you can sign an affidavit (or, in some cases, get a letter from your college’s Residential Life office) asserting that you live at your dorm address.

 I am a voter with a disability. Will my polling place be accessible and what options do I have to cast a ballot?
Every voter has the right to cast a private and independent ballot, including voters with disabilities. If you want to learn more about what your voting rights are or were denied the right to vote because of your disability, you can find your state’s National Disability Rights Network member agency here. Additional resources for voters with disabilities can be found through the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Nonprofit VOTE.

I know someone who's mentally impaired/disabled. Can they vote?
In most states, if a person has been declared “non-compos mentis,” or “mentally incompetent” by a court of law, that person is ineligible to vote. For more information on how your state defines this, contact the supervisor of elections in your state.

Can I register and vote if I don’t have a home address or am experiencing homelessness?
Yes! You’ll need to provide an address when you register to vote – this is used to assign your voting districts and to send any election mail. Homeless registrants can list a shelter address, or can include the address where they sleep most often, like a street corner or park address. Learn more about voting and homelessness from Nonprofit Vote.

Does a voter card serve as a form of identification for voting?
Most states do not accept a voter card as a form of ID. If you are a first-time voter who mailed in your registration form, you should check with your state to see what identification is needed.

How long does it take to get my voter card in the mail?
It usually takes 6-8 weeks for the state to send out your voter card.  If you register to vote with fewer than 8 weeks to the election, you may not receive your card in time. Call your state to confirm your registration.

 

On Election Day, if I think my rights have been violated, what should I do?
Call (866) OUR-VOTE if you feel your rights have been violated. There will be lawyers on hand to answer Election Day questions and concerns about voting procedures.

What if I go to the polls and they tell me I am not registered to vote?
First, make sure you are at the right polling place.  If you are at the correct location and are not on the list, you can still cast a ballot. Ask the poll worker for a provisional ballot. After the polls close on Election Day the state will check on the status of your voter registration and if there was a mistake made. The state must notify you as to whether your ballot was counted. If you have a problem voting and think your rights have been denied, call (866) OUR- VOTE. There will be lawyers there to help.

The Voting Rights Act  -  End Voter Suppression!

Fifty-five years have passed since the signing of the Voting Rights Act. This law was a reckoning with our nation's long history of Black disenfranchisement, it provided states with guidance for implementation and protection of the 15th amendment, and was intended to be a culmination of the work of the Civil Rights era, and the beginning of a true representative democracy. It has been under attack ever since. Gerrymandering, unclear voter ID laws, purging of voter rolls, and closed polling locations persist in more than 25 states. All of these intentional and targeted voter suppression tactics have disproportionately affected communities of color, impacting their access to the ballot box.  This is not a Third world country or a Banana Republic. This is the USA where Democracy lives, and all Citizens have Rights.

Keep Your Power & Rock the Vote.

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