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‘My Vote, My Right’ Ready to Protect Voters on Election Day |
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On the eve of the most important vote of a lifetime for American workers, volunteers for the AFL-CIO-led My Vote, My Right program are in place, ready to help ensure that all eligible voters can cast a ballot and that their votes are counted.
Hundreds of volunteer union members will monitor polls, and volunteer lawyers will field calls and complaints from voters who believe their right to vote has been denied.
Speaking to the Gannett News Service, Ohio AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Petee Talley, who is coordinating the voter-protection program in the Buckeye State, says polling monitors are needed as much now as they were in 2004 and 2006.
The [Ohio] secretary of state has given clear directives and advisories, but the election is still administered at the local level. I think we’ll be OK. But just in case…we’re not backing down. We’ll be there all day.
With record numbers of people expected at the polls tomorrow, there is a real possibility of snafus and attempts at outright voter suppression. Progressive organizations are mobilized as never before to protect votes. The My Vote, My Right coalition will be on the scene to address voting rights issues in 27 communities in nine key states—Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin
Says AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker:
This is a critical election for working families, so we must ensure that citizens know their voting rights and are prepared to do whatever it takes on Election Day to have their votes counted.
The AFL-CIO and its affiliate unions distributed more than 600,000 Voter Bill of Rights fliers, including more than 100,000 each in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri. We also are running radio ads in 11 states and the District of Columbia urging voters to make sure their right to vote is protected. AFL-CIO voter protection activists are referring voters to the toll-free hotline operated by the election protection coalition, 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683), to report problems.
In Virginia, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), an AFL-CIO constituency group, and the NAACP are taking additional action to protect voters.
- Bilingual LCLAA volunteers will be at key polling places in eight precincts in Prince William County. LCLAA will provide voters with bilingual voting rights information and survey them on their overall voter experience.
- The U.S. District Court in Richmond today denied relief in the NAACP’s lawsuit alleging that Virginia is unprepared for record voter turnout on Election Day.
The lawsuit, filed by the Virginia chapter of the NAACP, asked that more voting machines be moved to minority polling places and that paper ballots be provided if lines get too long. Republicans argued that changing voting procedures the day before the election will be disruptive, and could leave their candidates at an unfair disadvantage.
With so much at stake in this election, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney suggests some simple steps to make sure your vote counts. In his column on the federation’s website, Sweeney gives this checklist:
- Know where to go. Call the local elections office to check the location of your polling place. Sometimes polling places are changed, and voting in the wrong location could mean your vote won’t be counted.
- Take identification. Rules vary by state, but be safe. Take a photo ID with you to the polls—preferably a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license. If you don’t have an official photo ID, at least take something official showing your name and address, like a bank statement or utility bill.
- Play it safe with campaign-related buttons, T-shirts, caps and the like. Avoid problems. Don’t wear clothing or accessories that support or oppose any candidate or party, or make sure you can remove or cover them up if you’re required to do so before you can vote.
- Ask for help if you need it. Many states allow you to take a helper with you to vote (as long as it’s not a representative of your employer or your union) if you have a disability or need other assistance. Poll workers are there to help also if you have questions or make a mistake on your ballot. My Vote, My Right and other voting rights advocates will be on hand in many polling places as well.
- Use a real ballot if you can. If there’s a question about your eligibility to vote in the polling place you go to, you may be offered a provisional ballot. Ask if you can vote using a regular ballot if you provide additional ID or go to a different polling place. Vote using a provisional ballot if you cannot get a regular ballot.
- Stay in line until you vote. Even if you face a long line—even if you’re in line when the polls are supposed to close—stand your ground and cast your vote.
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