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Don't Get Disenfranchised: Some Easy Tips to Make Sure You Get to Vote

Oct 06, 2020

This is urgent, so we are publishing it now to make sure everyone who is eligible is able to vote.

The Atlantic published an article this month detailing recordings made that the GOP is planning in effort to suppress or intimidate voters, and to target, in particular vote by mail ballots to get them thrown out. Here is what you need to know and what you (and everyone you know) should be prepared to do to make sure everyone who is eligible is able to vote:

If you're voting by mail: PLEASE make sure that you place your completed ballot in the return envelope your were provided with. Ballots that are not in this envelope will not count. The GOP is, in particular, planning to try to get these ballots thrown out for several reasons, which we will explain below. Please make sure you fill out ALL of the information on your ballot's enclosed return envelope (it does not matter whether you return your ballot by mail or in person; you STILL need to fill it all out completely and accurately.). This means making sure that you sign your ballot's return envelope, put all of the information in the right place, print your LEGAL name, the name that's on your voter registration card (on the line it is requested for), date the ballot line correctly, and, if it is required in your state (and it is in several, such as Wisconsin), have your witness sign the ballot return envelope and put their full address on that envelope on the correct lines. If you're planning on voting in person there is information here as well. Here are the GOP's attack plans (so here's what to look out for):

Challenges Planned:

General Voter Intimidation, Especially with In-Person Voting: The Atlantic discusses a GOP plan to deploy armed guards to the polls to scare voters or detain "suspicious looking voters." Have your local voter protection hotline handy, as well as the number for the police. These guards are NOT allowed to prevent you from voting, nor are they the police. Know your rights. We have a voting plan card on our website, where you can print out your voting plan, and write your state's voter protection hotline on it. Print it out, put it in your pocket/wallet/purse/etc., and keep calm.

Vote By Mail Issues:

(Note: Hundreds of thousands more Democrats registered to vote by mail than Republicans, so these voters are going to be subject to targeting according to The Atlantic.)

Signature challenges: The GOP is planning to look at vote-by-mail ballot envelopes and, if the signature on the envelope looks somewhat different than copies of your signature that they have on file (from driver's license or ID cards, etc.), they plan to claim that you are not the voter who was sent the ballot. Here's what you can and should do: First, make sure you carefully sign your return envelope so that it looks as much as possible like the signature you normally use on your ID or other documents the state might have. Now isn't the time to play with new signatures or be sloppy, because this is something GOP lawyers plan to capitalize on.
Challenges based on missing information: If you have a ballot that has a blank line (where you were supposed to fill something out but didn't), your ballot can be thrown out. PLEASE make sure everything is filled out and/or signed in the write places and completely.
Challenges based on a lack of signature: Every state requires you to sign your ballot return envelope. Make sure you do this, do it on the right line, and do it so that it resembles your signature that you've used in the past very clearly. If you don't sign your ballot, or if it's in the wrong place or looks suspicious, it can be thrown out.
Missing witness information: In some states, you are not only required to have your own signature on your ballot return envelope, but you are also required to have the signature and address of a witness (According to Wisconsin law a witness is anyone who is a US Citizen, over 18, and who is not running for office in your precinct). A witness can be a family member, friend, or even a stranger--but you must have their signature and address in many cases and in at least one state. If this information is missing or is not in the correct place, your ballot can be thrown out. South Carolina has already tried to warn voters that signature challenges will mean that a vote will not count--so make sure you've got everything right! The witness does NOT have the right to watch you vote--they are just signing your sealed envelope to let the state know that you are the voter you say you are.
Challenges based on the date: Most ballot return envelopes ask you to put the date on one line. This does NOT mean the date of the election--it means the date you are mailing or delivering your ballot. You should also list the date in full. So, for example, if your ballot is being mailed back on October 17, write clearly: October 17, 2020. Dot every i and cross every t. The GOP has been planning these challenges for a long time.
Challenges because of unsealed envelopes: Your ballot must be placed in the return envelope, which must be filled out completely and accurately, and then you must make sure that envelope is sealed. If the ballot arrives and the envelope is not sealed, the GOP has alleged that it will challenge these ballots, and they may be thrown out.
Ballots Dropped Off at the Wrong Locations: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. If you choose to drop off your ballot, rather than mailing it back, that is fine. However, you CANNOT (even if a local or state official says so) drop your ballot off just anywhere. If you drop it off, it must be dropped off at the drop off location for your local precinct/municipality. In Iowa, for example, this would be your local county auditor in most cases. In Wisconsin, it will NOT be any drop box in your county--it will be the drop off site for YOUR specific municipality. This is a common rule, and ballots that are dropped off in the wrong place will not count, unless you happen to have a very friendly and non-busy clerk who wants to send your ballot to the write place. This is unlikely, and you should not depend on it. Two more things here: (1). Make absolutely sure that you know that dropping your ballot off in your county (but not your precinct--example--you live in the city of Milwaukee and drop off your ballot in suburban Milwaukee county--it doesn't get counted) is NOT going to ensure that your ballot gets counted and will most likely have the opposite effect. (2). If you have already made this mistake, CALL the place where you dropped it off--there is still time to fix this in most cases, as it's still early, but as the election gets closer, this will be harder. (3). Always have your state's voter protection hotline programmed into your phone, and call them if anything happens that seems like it may affect your ability or right to vote, CALL THEM. They may be able to help you.

In Every Instance, you should ALWAYS have Your State's Voter Protection Hotline Programmed into Your Phone and Ready to Call if Needed. We are the only organization that has every one of these numbers published (and in one place). You can find yours, and your voting plan card, here: https://10minutesaday.org/voting-info/.