Do you know your rights at the polls?
ACLU of Massachusetts communications director Chris Ott wrote this guest blog.
Big swing states like Ohio, Virginia and Florida have been attracting the most concern about voter suppression, but Massachusetts is not immune.
From false information about needing to show ID to vote, to objections to people voting absentee, to reports of robocalls telling people to vote on the wrong day--despite Hurricane Sandy, the election is still Tuesday!--the ACLU of Massachusetts has already been receiving reports about problems that could interfere with people exercising their right to vote in this year's election, Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Do you know your rights at the polls? If not, there's still time to learn more about voting rights before heading to the polls on Tuesday.
For example:
- You DO NOT need to show photo ID to vote, but you may be asked for proof of residency.
- You can bring someone to help you in the voting booth.
- You can report voter intimidation or other problems by calling 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), a nonpartisan hotline that will be staffed by volunteer Massachusetts lawyers on Election Day. You can also tweet reports of problems @866ourvote.
The ACLU of Massachusetts is a member of the Voter Protection Coalition with our partners MassVOTE, the League of Women Voters, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, and Common Cause. On Election Day, we will have volunteer, nonpartisan poll observers stationed at historically identified problem precincts across the Commonwealth.
Also, once at the poll, please remember to vote YES on Question 2 (Death with Dignity) and Question 3 (Humanitarian Use of Medical Marijuana).
Please share this helpful voting information with your family and friends and encourage them to vote. We'll see you at the polls!
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