How to Make Sure Your Vote Counts
As the last few months have shown, this electoral cycle will be challenging for voters – to put it mildly.
With so much uncertainty and misinformation – whether it’s about the integrity of mail-order voting, the possibility of technical problems with voting machines, the need for social distancing protocols, or the specter of voter intimidation – how can you be sure you can vote and that your vote will be correct counted?
In the video above, created just before the 2020 primaries, Raul Macias, an attorney for the Brennan Justice Center , offers advice on what to do before, during, and after the election.
Check your voter registration first . Poll workers may say your registration is out of date if you recently moved or did not vote in the last few elections. Then check the correct identification rules in your area. Make sure you have all the required documents when you come to vote.
Macias notes that mail-order voting has been a reliable method of voting for decades, and only in recent electoral cycles have people tried to undermine his credibility. To vote by mail , make sure you follow the instructions on the ballot for handling any mailings, envelopes, or witnesses you may need.
If you go to a polling station and see a very long line, the most important thing is to stay in line . As long as you are in line before voting closes, you will be allowed to vote. People may tell you otherwise, but they are just trying to get you to leave without voting.
And if, for any reason, an employee tells you that you cannot vote, ask to speak to a supervisor, fill out a preliminary ballot, and get a receipt so you can track if he counts. To report voting problems, call the Election Defense Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE .
It was originally published in June 2020 and updated in September 2020 to reflect the most recent information.