Voting problem reports and election protection: 2010

[Joanne98]

The Election Protection Coalition is on the job today, taking reports of voting problems and working to fix them. If you have a problem voting, whether technical--long lines, change of polling location, broken machines, registration confusion--or human--problems of voter intimidation or misinformation, aggressive challenges from poll watchers, inappropriate electioneering--you can report it to the coalition. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota for Spanish language. You can also use text messaging or Twitter to report problems. They have volunteers across the nation, with lawyers present at election boards who can respond immediately to problems.

In a conference call this morning, the folks at Election Protection reported some of what they've been responding to in early voting and this morning, as well as problem areas they're giving extra attention. The vast majority of problems are related to election administration--polls opening late, registration confusion, poorly trained poll workers, machine malfunctions--all the things that reflect a chronic under-investment in our voting infrastructure.

They also reported some specific intimidation/suppression issues that they've already responded to and are following:

In Minnesota, tea party related groups are expected to continue to wear buttons or stickers saying "Please ID me" (despite a judge's ruling that they couldn't). This is meant to cause confusion in pollworkers and voters who do not have to show ID in MN. There have also been reports in one precinct in MN of a disruptive poll watcher who was aggressively challenging people attempting to do same day registration.
In Illinois in two predominately African American precincts, there are reports of every voter being challenged.
In a Michigan precinct, a poll worker was making racist statements directed at African American and Latino voters.
In Louisiana (particularly New Orleans), Maryland, New Hampshire and Maine, robocalls have told voters they can vote online or by telephone.
In Kansas, voters report robocalls telling they have to have proof of home ownership in order to vote, and that they vote on Nov. 3.
In addition, Cheryl at Jack and Jill Politics is reporting that teabaggers in South Carolina are intimidating black college students at Benedict College and North Hope Center precinct at Sumter.

Texas, Arizona, Wisconsin, and parts of Chicago are getting extra attention because of past problems, and because of activities leading up to today--the flyers and promises of intimidation in Houston from the "King Street Patriots" intended to suppress minority voting, specific targeting of Latino voters in Arizona and particularly Maricopa County, plans for voter caging to disenfranchise students and minority voters in Wisconsin, and flyers saying "stop blacks from stealing the election" in Chicago.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/2/916136/-Voting-problem-reports-and-election-protection:-2010