Sure today is about presidents, pundits and pandering. We’ve blogged macacas, Obamas and Madias. But today is Election Day, and not only is today the day to vote, but we need to make sure that this vote is counted.
I am getting up at the crack of dawn to partake in protecting the rights of Asian and Pacific Islander voters all across Southern California. There are already other stories coming out of the woodwork – one friend of mine registered to vote but couldn’t be found on the rolls, and another friend stood in a five hour line at the Los Angeles Registrar of Voter to vote early on Friday. On Election Day, the stories are expected to be tenfolds worse and poll monitors will be sent to polls all across the nation to keep the suppression at a minimum. If you haven’t signed up to volunteer with an official organization, you can grab your camera and Video the Vote or document your story.
I stole the following Q&A from a post I did for Sepia Mutiny during the 2006 Election, but it still works, for the most part.
What do I do if I requested an absentee ballot/registered to vote and haven’t received anything yet? You should go to your polling place and vote in person, and if they don’t have your name, you should vote provisionally. They have to give you a provisional ballot – they’ll verify over the next week to see what the problem is and if they count it. If you’re too far from your polling place, call your Secretary of State’s office or the hotline.What if I have my absentee form, but I forgot to mail it? Take your absentee form to your local polling place and drop it off in person.
What if I go to vote and they don’t have my name? Vote provisionally. If you have your voter registration receipt, that is your proof of registration. And call the hotline.
Do I need to bring ID to vote? It depends on what state you live in, though as organizers we feel that asking for a voter ID is a form of disenfranchisement and are continuously battling this. But here in CA, I’m pretty sure if you are a first time voter that didn’t put down a CA DL number or SS # on your reg form, they will ask for your ID. If they ask for your ID, and you live in a state/situation where you don’t need an ID, call the hotline.
What if I don’t know where I’m supposed to go and vote? Simple go to the Polling Place Finder.
I didn’t get any information from my registrar’s info on who I’m voting for. What should I do? You should still vote, at your nearest polling place. To figure out what you are voting for before you go to your polling place, go to Smart Voter. With a quick submit of your address, they can find you all the candidates and propositions for your district. If they don’t have your name in their list, VOTE PROVISIONALLY.
It’s already 7:30 pm, and there will be this long line at the polls, and by the time I get there, I’ll be turned away… Most employers will give you two hours to go vote today, be sure to ask to see if you can get out early, or do it on your lunch break. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm. All you have to do is go stand in line before 8pm – as long as you are in line, they can’t turn you away. If they try to, or if they closed your poll early, call the hotline. [SepiaMutiny]
There is a national Election Protection hotline that I HIGHLY recommend that you scrawl on the back of your hand before leaving the house today: 1-866-OUR-VOTE. The Election Protection site has gotten tech-savvy since 2006, and there are up to the minute updates on stories of suppression across the country. If you have questions about the voting process and don’t want to call the hotline, please enter them in the comment section or e-mail me at taz[at]saavy.org and I’ll do my best. If you have stories of voting today, whether positive experiences or stories of voter suppression, please enter them in the comments as well – I’d love to hear the desi experience on voting all across the country. It’d also be interesting to see if desis get unfairly targeted for the denial of voting rights.
And in case it wasn’t obvious, GO VOTE!
Vote Obama. Vote repeatedly.
I am getting up at the crack of dawn to partake in protecting the rights of Asian and Pacific Islander voters all across Southern California.
Good. I am thinking of devious ways to suppress turn out in rural areas of Ohio. Just kidding.
Here is a poll taken in 2006 as to who would win between McCain and Obama.
I thought you Americans don’t like queuing? Leaving it up to us Brits. Don’t understand why it is such a hoopla when you guys vote each time.
Polls opened here at 6 am. I was in line at 6:02 and it was already wrapped around half a city block. It took over two hours to vote for Obama but I’m glad I did. Incidentally, this was my first year voting in both a US election AND an overseas election (back in May). So exciting!
I know vote suppression is a real tactic of the GOP, but you need to be carefull when you invoke this charge. Five hours to register on Friday sounds about right in a broken system….my white friends report the same. It’s not always a conspiracy.
Also, there should be voter protection attorneys and representatives of the campaigns, either at the polling place or roaming around. If you’re challenged even though you have sufficient ID, or they want you to cast a provisional ballot just because they couldn’t find you the first time they looked (often they’re sloppy), see if you can get it resolved before you even leave the ballotting area.
Voter suppression is unamerican. As a Republican, I’d like to magnaminously encourage all you Democrats to go out tomorrow and vote.
8 · Manju said
An age-old tactic.
Actually, I DIDN’T invoke this charge. Voter suppression also happens because poll workers are ignant and registrar of voters are old fashioned. And it may not be intentional, but just carelessness. Which doesn’t mean someone’s right to vote isn’t being violated. As a youth voting advocate for the past ten years, the suppression actions I’ve seen are not “partisan” — people just don’t want young people to vote. This has changed over the years … but I really don’t want people to think of voting rights violation as a partisan issue.
Taz didn’t invoke any charge of racial bias — she explained long waits and problems at the polls. Calm yourself.
If you’re voting in Montana or New Mexico today, I’ll be on the hotlines! I know, a reason to call in with problems, right? (I keed,I keed)
boy this is really exciting. though not nearly as exciting as it would be if he looses. but its too late now for him to be found in bed with an ugly gerbil. i invited some republican friends to watch the results with me up in a harlem bar. i’m trying to choose some place waaay uptown to scare them. i haven’t heard back from them yet.
There is a text message going around New Orleans which says, “Due to exceptionally long lines today, all Obama voters are asked to vote on Wednesday.” You probably know this is false, but just in case, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE. The polls close at 8PM for ALL VOTERS and that’s that. The message came from a local (504) number. This was reported to the Election Protection Hotline at 800-432-4427. They said this is indeed going around and they will report the person to the local, state, and federal authorities. If you get this or any other type message regarding voting that is or appears to be fraudulent, please report them at the above number.
GMU students in VA received a (fraudulent) email from the registrar telling them that election day had been postponed:
Manju, quit it.
Do folks think we can believe this?
I know! I can’t believe people are creating images like this to smear Obama’s campaign and image!
test…
If there are people dumb enough to believe emails/sms saying that the election is postponed, those idiots should not be allowed to vote in the first place!
M. Nam
I just wanted to say that I had no trouble voting today. There was no line, and a small SNAFU when the volunteer couldn’t find my name in the books (turns out that “R” comes after “M” in the alphabet) was quickly resolved. Plus, there was an extra voting booth set up in anticipation of the higher volume later in the day. Anyway, I count myself lucky that the process was so quick and painless. Taz, keep fighting the good fight!
19 · MoorNam said
Communities that are highly limited English speaking and not tech-savvy are prone to fall for these gimmicks. I’m sure your parents generation falls under this. I don’t consider them to be idiots. This is why we have services in place to educate the community in their language at their level on their right to vote.
Are we there yet?
Welcome to SM! Your curmudgeonly attitude is so refreshing.
bess C.
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blockquote>Communities that are highly limited English speaking and not tech-savvy are prone to fall for these gimmicks.
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blockquote> I live in a swinging kinda state where most of our Spanish-speaking populace votes Republican…do you think the Dems would be up to some sort of gimmickry? One can hope. (I keed, muchachas.)
Relax people, its in the bag. Read this article.
Not sure about this. Tech-challenged folks with limited English speaking abilities are not prone to have an email address nor will they be able to press the right keys to retrieve an SMS. If at all, they will have their phones/emails set to their own language (Spanish etc).
This is a good approach, as long as they get to listen to both candidates’ position on the issues in their own language. Otherwise their vote is meaningless.
M. Nam
24 · Abhi said
First, with Paulson blowing up Lehman, and then with Cheney endorsing McCain, I am hoping that Bush’s final touches in making sure that the Republican party is guaranteed to lose the presidency succeed.
Tech-challenged folks with limited English speaking abilities are not prone to have an email address nor will they be able to press the right keys to retrieve an SMS
Every grandma and Hispanic worker in this town has a cellphone. Also, this is a state where elections have been postponed due to hurricanes or emergencies. We had a major local election postponed just this year. Just because you have a cellphone does not make you immune to following instructions. Also, a lot of old people (especially in the South) come from a time when technology means authority.
Can someone please explain why it is such a big deal to ask for ID? Shouldnt a proper ID be a normal part of the voting process – so that there is no fake voting. I dont want to have someone else vote in my name. Voter suppression is standard political behaviour and happens all around the world. Only the tactics change.
28 · melbourne desi said
In the US many people on the Right view National ID as an intrusion on civil liberties. People on the Left don’t like either it as it will make life more difficult for illegal immigrants. One of those weird US specific quirks just like aversion to CCTV in public places. Each locality has its own arcane voting process
sloppy – thanks for the clarification. Quirky.
I anticipated long lines at 8am yesterday, esp because my polling place is tiny, compared to the # of people that live here, but they had moved it to a bigger room and I didn’t have to wait at all. The booths were all full, but I just took my paper ballot to the library in the community center and filled it out there in peace. And then I got my sticker. I guess this is the last time in Washington I’ll get to vote in person! Hopefully they’ll still send a sticker in the mail 🙂
Saurabh Kikani is my hero!