The capacity to conduct free and fair elections is jeopardized by voter intimidation. Know your rights and what you can do if you see or suspect voter intimidation or anomalies in the voting process.
What you will discover:
What exactly is voter intimidation?
Is the presence of firearms at voting locations a form of voter intimidation?
Is voter intimidation regarded when poll watchers interfere?
What should you do if you are worried about your safety while voting?
What exactly are vote irregularities?
Where and to whom should I direct my voting concerns?
In what has become another contentious and controversial election campaign, large numbers of voters are casting votes by mail, dropboxes, and in person around the United States. Many people are concerned that voter fraud, voter suppression, voter intimidation, and voting anomalies will hinder a free and fair election. You have a constitutional right to vote independently and have your vote counted equally. If you suspect someone has tried to intimate you or have seen abnormalities, you must know what to do.
Table of Contents
What exactly is voter intimidation?
In a legal sense, voter intimidation is defined as an attempt by one individual or a group to intimidate or compel someone into voting for another candidate. When used delicately, this form of interference might be difficult for law enforcement officers to pursue. The following, however, are among the most blatant voter intimidation infractions.
Someone or a group prevents you from accessing a voting place.
Someone or a group threatens you verbally or physically near a voting place.
Shouting, name-calling, or using threatening tones while in queue to vote.
Someone attempts to read your ballot while you fill it out.
Someone inquires about your political membership, criminal past, or citizenship.
False information is disseminated in order to discourage people from voting.
Signs aimed at swaying or discouraging voters are placed near voting places.
These and other efforts to intimidate voters may be criminal at the federal level under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. This raises an essential concern regarding campaigning, which is protected under the First Amendment. Is it allowed to campaign at or near voting places? According to the ACLU, campaigning within a voting place is prohibited; however, campaigning outside a polling station may be tolerated, with the permissible distance outside the entrance governed by state regulations.
Is the presence of firearms at voting locations a form of voter intimidation?
Given the increase in gun violence around the nation, voters may be concerned if they see weapons near voting places. It is critical to note that various states weigh in on the subject of open and concealed carry of weapons at voting booths. Some states outright prohibit weapons, while others do not. Other states have specialty laws outlining permissible and unlawful behaviors. If you are unclear about your state’s policy, you may get advice from a lawyer.
Is voter intimidation regarded when poll watchers interfere?
The primary idea of impartial poll monitors was to guarantee fair elections. However, political parties have alleged that the opposition also employs poll observers to frighten votes. When monitoring a polling station, these personnel are normally obliged to get training on suitable and inappropriate conduct.
Some states enable poll monitors to check signatures, while others allow them to contest someone is right to vote. This might include, among other things, a state that does not allow felons to vote, residence problems, or citizenship.
Only qualified and designated poll monitors are permitted to enter the venue. Voter intimidation may occur if someone other than an official poll observer interferes with your voting process. The authority of poll monitors, like that of weapon carry, is generally regulated on a state-by-state basis.
What should you do if you are worried about your safety while voting?
If you believe someone attempted to compel, threaten, or otherwise intimidate you while you were waiting in line or inside a voting place, report the event immediately to a poll worker. If you see someone being harassed or bullied in connection with a mail-in ballot, report it to your state elections official, local police department, or the voter hotline of the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.
What exactly are vote irregularities?
Unscrupulous persons may contaminate elections in a variety of ways. Voter fraud and suppression connected to mail-in votes are two of the most notable irregularities. These are some of the anomalies that have emerged.
Ballots are not being delivered to counting sites or are being tampered with.
Purchase of ballots from registered voters.
Voting twice, once by mail and once at the polls.
Posing as a registered voter.
Ballots were sent to the incorrect addresses.
Ballots cast by persons who no longer reside in the state.
Other anomalies might include political third parties posing as surrogates to collect mail-in ballots or vote-counters withholding what seem to be lawfully cast votes. While the vast majority of polling places and election officials execute their jobs well and vote fraud is uncommon, unethical or even criminal behaviors do occur on occasion.
Where and to whom should I direct my voting concerns?
electoral fraud and intimidation harm every American because they undermine electoral credibility. Discrepancies may place someone in office who did not get the necessary votes. If you are concerned about election fraud, intimidation, or anomalies, the Election Protection hotline might be a useful resource.
866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) in English
888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) in Spanish
888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) for Asian Languages
844-925-5287 (Arabic)
You may also register a complaint with the US Department of Justice online, either under your full name or anonymously. If you are unclear about voting concerns, rights, or how to handle a specific matter, see a lawyer.
