Community | October 20, 2008 | 18 comments

Top 8 voting myths dispelled

source: http://www.wiretapmag.org/elections2008/43820/

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goldenways
Can I vote without a driver's license? What if I recently moved? Myths abound, but the facts are clear. Read up and make sure your vote is counted on Nov. 4th.
Myth No. 1: I will be turned away from the polls if I wear an Obama or McCain shirt.

NOT TRUE. You can't be turned away from the polls, but you may be asked to cover the parts of your clothing that are advertising your candidate. Certain states -- such as California, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and New York -- restrict anything that can be considered campaign material within 50 to 150 feet of voting sites. If you've got questions, contact your state election official to find out the exact rules in your state, or, just be sure to bring an extra shirt or sweater for when you place your vote.

Myth No. 2: If something goes wrong -- I'm not on the voter rolls, forgot my ID, recently moved -- I can't vote.

NOT TRUE. You may need to take an oath affirming you're a citizen, and that you live where you say you do. But keep in mind that the burden of proof is on the person making the challenge, not you. If your right to vote is being challenged for any reason, call the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) to get immediate legal advice. You can also request a provisional ballot from poll officials.

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) states that voters who believe themselves to be eligible, despite being identified as ineligible at the polls, can cast a provisional ballot. In 2001, many voters in Florida were taken off the rolls if their names were similar to a list of convicted felons. That meant that, because "S. Burris" was a felon, Sarah Burris, Sue Burris and Sam Burris were denied their voting privileges. HAVA was passed in response to this flagrant violation of voting rights and now requires that all voters, regardless of name, are given a provisional ballot upon request.

Myth No. 3: If I registered to vote through ACORN, my registration is not valid.

NOT TRUE. While some ACORN voter registrations are being investigated, if you provided accurate information, your registration is valid. In case you encounter problems, call the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or be sure to request a provisional ballot.

Myth No. 4: Absentee ballots don't count and are only used as tie-breakers.

NOT TRUE. Like provisional ballots, absentee ballots count as a regular vote in every state.

Myth No. 5: If you register to vote under your school address, you will be dropped from your parents' health insurance or lose financial aid.

NOT TRUE. In a recent Time Magazine report, officials in Montgomery, Virginia, Greenville, South Carolina, and El Paso, Colorado told students that their health care and financial aid would be in jeopardy if they were to cast a vote. There was just one problem with these warnings: They were entirely untrue. Time reports, "[A]ccording to youth-voter advocates and the IRS... these dire warnings were incorrect."

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18 comments // Top 8 voting myths dispelled

  • DEM_08
  • PattiKay
    • 0
      PattiKay  

    • Where is the corresponding cartoon showing the Democratic OH Judge allowing homeless people to register their park benches as their residences so they can vote? Or one person registering to vote 75 times? I don't believe for a moment that provisional ballots are rejected only by the Republican leaning. If the Fairness Doctrine gets railroaded through, I hope it will apply to political cartoons too.

    • 3 years ago
  • islek
  • huntre
    • 0
      huntre  

    • I voted early in Tennessee. The line was short and it was a paper ballot. All I showed was my voter registration card. No other I.D.
      If you can, I suggest that you vote early.
      If not, bring some chairs with you and something to drink. If you see someone giving up out of frustration, try to talk them out of it.
      Looks like there's going to be long lines on Nov. 4th.

    • 3 years ago
  • SDLN
    • 0
      SDLN  

    • Myth No. 9: Even though I'm voting for the candidate that has no chance of winning in my state, my vote still counts.

      NOT TRUE. If you live in Nebraska or Maine, your vote might count depending on the tally in your congressional district. Otherwise, your vote will be essentially discarded as soon as it is cast. But thanks for playing "Democracy" yet again this year.

    • 3 years ago
  • chrissnyder
  • cheller1820
  • Moopak
    • 0
      Moopak  

    • Thanks for posting this! It concerns me that some of these myths even exist.

      When I was in 2nd grade a librarian told told me, "you can go to jail for telling people who you voted for!" right after I voted for president in a fun activity at school.
      Pretty sure I went home crying, till my mom set me straight. .

    • 3 years ago
  • growdude420
  • grease_weasel
  • sotanewb
  • esk
    • 0
      esk  

    • Thank you so much for the great information..i printed it out to give to people when they give me some of these lame excuses as to why they wont be voting this election! Hopefully it will inspire them to be proactive!

    • 3 years ago
  • metalcookiesxy70
  • pokesmot
  • eboknee
  • HiImGuss
  • asherp
  • goldenways
    • 0
      goldenways  

    • **********CONT'D:

      Myth No. 6: I can't vote because I recently moved, or the address on my driver's license is different from my current address.

      NOT TRUE. The driver's license is strictly used to verify a voter's identity, not place of residence. State law requires that you vote in the precinct in which you live. If you're not sure where your polling location is, visit Vote411.org or Google Maps. If you end up at the wrong location, poll workers can direct you to the correct precinct.

      Myth No. 7: If I have any unpaid parking or traffic tickets, warrants, unpaid child support or receive food stamps or welfare, I can't vote.

      NOT TRUE. Fliers claiming absurd things like this pop up almost every election year. They weren't true then, and they aren't true now.

      Myth No. 8: If I have been convicted of a felony, I can't vote.

      MISLEADING. Each state has its own process, but only two states -- Kentucky and Virginia -- deny the right to vote to all ex-offenders. To find the specific laws in each state, check out this short and simple guide (PDF) put together by the Sentencing Project.

    • 3 years ago
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