Know Your Voter's Rights

  • Posted October 28, 2020
Know Your Voter's Rights

Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts, and access disability-related accommodations and language assistance at the polls.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO THE POLLS?

Your state may require you to bring an ID or bring documents to show your residence, especially if you’re voting for the first time. Make sure you’re prepared and learn what you need to be prepared here.

WHAT IF I WANT TO VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY?

  • If you cannot vote in-person on Election Day, you may be able to vote early or by absentee vote-by-mail ballot.
  • Some states allow any voter to vote absentee; others have stricter requirements.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Learn about your options to exercise absentee or early voting in your state.
  • Note the deadline to request an absentee ballot may be before Election Day.

WHAT ARE MY GENERAL VOTER'S RIGHTS ON ELECTION DAY?

  • If the polls close while you’re still in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
  • If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
  • If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
  • If you run into any problems or have questions on Election Day, call the Election Protection Hotline:
    • English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
    • Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
    • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
    • For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683

WHAT IF THE POLL WORKER SAYS MY NAME IS NOT ON THE LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS?

YOUR RIGHTS:

  • Voters are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if they aren’t in the poll book. Ask for one.
  • After Election Day, election officials must investigate whether you are qualified to vote and registered. If you are qualified and registered, they will count your provisional ballot.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Ask the poll worker to double check for your name on the list of registered voters. Make sure to spell your name out for the poll worker.
  • If your name is not on the list, ask if there is a supplemental list of voters.
  • If the poll worker still cannot find your name, confirm that you are at the correct polling place:
    • Request that the poll workers check a statewide system (if one is available) to see if you are registered to vote at a different polling place.
    • If the poll worker does not have access to a statewide system, ask them to call the main election office.
    • You can also call 1-866-OUR-VOTE and ask for help verifying your proper polling place.
    • If you are registered at a different location, in most instances you will have to travel to that location to cast a regular ballot.
  • If the poll worker still cannot find your name or if you cannot travel to the correct polling place, ask for a provisional ballot.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

If you are turned away or denied a provisional ballot, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).

WHAT IF I NEED HELP TRANSLATING AT THE POLLS?

YOUR RIGHTS:

  • Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice. This person cannot be the voter’s employer, an agent of the voter’s employer, or an agent or officer of the voter’s union.
  • Counties covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act are required to provide bilingual assistance to voters in specific languages. This means that they must provide poll workers who speak certain languages, and make all election materials and election-related information available in those languages. Check whether your county is required to provide bilingual election assistance in a language you speak.

WHAT TO DO:

  • You can bring a family member, friend, or other person of your choice to assist you at the polls. Do not bring your employer, or an agent of your employer or union.
  • If you live in a county that’s required to provide bilingual voting assistance for a language you speak, you can request oral assistance from a bilingual poll worker and ask for voting materials, such as a ballot, in that language.
  • If you have trouble voting due to lack of English fluency, call one of these hotlines:
    • Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
    • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
    • English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683.
    • Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese): 1-888-API-VOTE / 1-888-274-8683

WHAT IF SOMEONE IS INTERFERING WITH MY RIGHT TO VOTE?

EXAMPLES OF VOTER INTIMIDATION:

  • Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
  • Falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
  • Displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
  • Other forms of harassment, particularly harassment targeting non-English speakers and voters of color.
  • Spreading false information about voter requirements.
    • You do not need to speak English to vote, in any state.
    • You do not need to pass a test to vote, in any state.
    • Some states do not require voters to present photo identification.

YOUR RIGHTS:

It’s illegal to intimidate voters and a federal crime to “intimidate, threaten, [or] coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of [that] other person to vote or to vote as he may choose.”

WHAT TO DO:

  • In many states, you can give a sworn statement to the poll worker that you satisfy the qualifications to vote in your state, and then proceed to cast a ballot.
  • Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
  • Report intimidation to your local election officials. Their offices will be open on Election Day.