STOP ELECTION SURPRESSION
Get around the GOP's new dirty trick
There have been numerous reports of Republican operatives challenging overtly Democratic voters throughout the country. If a Republican operative can target an obviously Democratic voter, the GOP dirty trickster will tell the pollworkers that they have witnessed the victim voting already, requiring the likely Democratic voter to instead fill out a provisional ballot, which the GOP lawyers can try to challenge later. It’s a dirty game but they are desperate and will do ANYTHING to win this election regardless of legality, or whether their behavior is ethical.
Here’s how to beat this game:
First, arm yourself with the Neighborhood Votewatch shirt stickers/pinable printouts. On it is the Election Protection Hotline number, 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
Second, if you or someone near you is challenged like this,
MAKE A SCENE. DO NOT GO QUIETLY. THEY ARE RELYING ON QUIET COOPERATION WITH THEIR DIRTY TRICKS. THEY ARE DEPENDING ON THE VICTIM AND THE WITNESSES TO THE SURPRESSION DOING NOTHING.
LOUDLY state that you are registered to vote and have the right to vote in this polling place. DEMAND to know where and when the accuser allegedly witnessed you or the victim voting. DEMAND the accuser’s name and proof of identification. WARN THEM you will have them arrested for Election Fraud for knowingly interfering with your (or the victim’s) Constitutionally-protected right to vote (because they know damn well that you didn’t vote earlier and that they are doing this fraudulently), and that you will also personally sue them in civil court for everything they have, and that you WILL win. (You will, by the way). DEMAND proof that they are US Citizens, and that what business they have at the polling place. DEMAND to know how many people the accuser has already accused, either here or at another polling place. TELL everyone in the polling place what is happening, that your (or the victim’s) Constitutional right to vote is being infringed upon, that this is a tactic currently in wide use by Republican party operatives to suppress Democratic and minority votes, and that you will not tolerate it. CALL the Election Protection hotline and the local police if necessary to get the accuser’s identification on legal record. INSIST that the police arrest the accuser for Election Fraud, and that the accuser knowingly is perjuring him or herself to interfere with the Electoral Process.
They will either run away with their tail between their legs or they will end up going to jail and sued.
Have courage and conviction and you will win.
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J Klein is the creator of DemocracyMeansYou and occasionally writes and pens cartoons for the site. He lives in an undisclosed location in North Carolina with Dick Cheney.
DemocracyMeansYou was started as both an artistic response to the ubiquitous flag stickers after 9/11 (the THINK sticker was the impetus for the whole shebang), and a forum for liberal and progressive opinion, humor (always important), and inspiring / urging / demanding participation in the democratic process.
He has written for various publications and websites over the years, has worked as a licensed Psychiatric Technician with both the mentally ill and the developmentally disabled; worked as a mechanic for several years; worked for local government promoting ridesharing and alternative transportation in California; quantifying school accountability for California schools; and marketing writing and web design.
