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Brian Kemp, the Georgia Republican secretary of state whose office oversees elections, and who is running for governor,announced Sunday — without evidence— that his office is investigating Democrats for allegedly hacking the state’s voter registration system.
His opponent, Stacey Abrams, the first black female to run for governor in the state, toldThe Atlanta Journal- Constitutionthat Kemp’s intention is “to distract voters with a desperate ploy.”
A number of nonpartisan nonprofits, such asCommon Causeand theNational Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, have created the hotline 866-OUR-VOTE for any questions or problems that may arise on election say.
And there may be many, voting rights groups warn.
In Georgia, Abrams, as well as election law experts and activists, claim that Kemp’s policies have been used to disqualify voters, especially minorities who tend to vote Democratic.
There’s been Georgia’sclosing of voting locations, theremoval of inactive votersfrom registration rolls, therejection of absentee ballotsand the carrying out of an “exact match” spelling law passed last year that the Associated Press revealed put almost 50,000 new voter registrations on hold — with 70 percent of those voters African-Americans.
In North Dakota, a court declined to overrule a strict new voter ID law requiring everyone who votes to show a state or Native American tribe-issued ID with a street address — despite some 35 percent of Native Americans only having a post office box as their only address,reports ABC News. (And it was the Native American vote which helped propel Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat running for re-election, to a close win in 2012.)
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According to New York University’s nonpartisanBrennan Center for Justice, restrictive, harsh laws passed since 2010 in 24 states have made it harder to vote; in nine of those states, it’s harder to vote now than in 2016.
Faulty voting machines are also a concern. Some of Texas’ early voters have reported that they tried to vote for a straight Democratic line, but the voting machine switched votes to the Republican Senate incumbent, Ted Cruz. “The main thing isn’t why it’s happening — if it’s malice, malfunctioning or poor design,” Leah McElrath toldThe Washington Post. “It just needs to stop.”
Below is a guide to help make sure your vote is counted on election day. Also check out Vote.org’scomprehensive guide of potential problems, their solutions, and places to turn for help.
If you have any questions, concerns of complaints, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (or 866-687-8683).
CHECK IF YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE
Inactive voters have been kicked off the rolls in states including Georgia, Nevada, Indiana and Wisconsin (voting rights activists call this “purging”). In Ohio, afederal appeals court ruledthat the state must give voters purged from its rolls the ability to vote via provisional ballots.
Click hereto find out if you are registered.
Not yet registered? Some statesallow for registrationup to and including election day, such as Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
FIND OUT WHERE YOUR POLLING PLACE IS LOCATED
Vote.orgmakes it easy to find your polling place, as well as the times it is open.Click here.
If there is a long line at your polling place, and it gets late, stay in line because legally you must be allowed to cast your ballot.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PROPER VOTER ID
There are a vast array of voter identification requirements and voter ID laws, differing from state to state. The National Conference of State Legislatures has compiled acomprehensive list of voter ID laws.
If you have any issues at the polls, or your ballot is challenged, call the National Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE
The government watchdog group Common Cause is monitoring voting questions and issues around the country, and urges people to call its nonpartisan hotline with concerns.
source: people.com
