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Election Day
General elections in which you can vote for U.S. President, Senator or Representative are always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day is a thrilling time for millions of Americans because the entire country is focusing on a single experience and celebrating our democracy in action. The only way to join in is to cast your vote.
Your Polling Place
Public buildings and community gathering spots are the most common voting locations. These polling places include schools, libraries, city halls, churches, fire stations and recreation centers. In some cases, however, people vote in an apartment house or even a family’s home.
To avoid last minute panic, try to find out where you will vote before Election Day. But in case you don’t think ahead, here are a few ways to find out where your polling place is:
- If you got a sample ballot in the mail, it will probably tell you where to vote. Or, if you received a notice confirming that you recently registered, it may give you the address of your polling place.
- Call the local elections office, give them your address and they’ll tell you where you can vote. Warning: On Election Day, it's often hard to get through on the phone.
- Ask a neighbor, because people who live in the same building or street usually vote in the same location.
- If you have access to the Internet, go to http://www.google.com/ or a similar site and look up "elections in _____ (insert the name of your city or county)." There's a good chance you'll find the website for the elections office, and it may list polling places.
If the location of your polling place has been changed, the local elections office should send you notification in the mail. Also, there should be a notice posted at the old polling place, giving you the new site.
Voting Hours
Polling hours vary according to location. Usually, the polls open between 6 and 8 a.m. and close between 6 and 9 p.m. The early and late hours give working people a chance to vote before or after work. For the times in your area, call your local elections office.
If you're running late on Election Day, don't give up and go home. As long as you get to the polls before closing time — even if there's a long line when you get there — you will be allowed to vote. But if you want to avoid those long lines, try voting between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. — not too difficult when you're retired. The polls will be less busy.
Getting to the Polls
If it’s hard for you to get to the polling place, you can probably get a ride. Sometimes political parties or campaigns will offer rides to the polls. Watch local newspapers for phone numbers or call the local elections office for information. Or call your local AFSCME office, which can often provide assistance.
Make a date to go to the polls with a friend. Sometimes a person may not plan on voting, but if a friend calls and offers them a ride, they’ll be happy to go along. AFSCME always urges members to take a like-minded friend to the polls. It doubles the value of your vote.
Don’t Forget to Bring. . .
Some states require you to bring photo identification (ID) to the polling place. Even if your state isn't one of them, it's probably a good idea to bring a driver's license or other official ID — just in case. If it doesn’t show your current address, also bring something that does.
ID is particularly important if you registered by mail or if this is the first time you are voting at a new location.
If you choose, you can also bring notes with you, or a sample ballot you’ve marked up or any other information that pertains to your vote.
Walk Right In
When you get inside of your polling place, you’re bound to see some people with official roles. They’ll include the following:
- Poll workers are the people who check in voters and explain where and how to vote. They aren't full-time public employees — they tend to be volunteers and all-around good citizens. Sometimes communities have a problem finding enough poll workers, which can lead to long lines of people waiting to vote. In other cases, poll workers aren’t adequately trained. So try to be patient if you encounter difficulties. Most poll workers are trying their best.
- Observers — from political parties or other concerned organizations — may be in the polling place to ensure an honest vote.
- Usually there will be one or two people in charge of the polling place. They're often called election judges. Some states require one Democrat and one Republican election judge in each polling place.
If You Have a Disability
People with disabilities sometimes have difficulty voting on Election Day. Mail-in voting may be an option. But if you plan ahead, you can probably find a way to go to the polls and cast your vote.
Polling places are required by federal law to be accessible to persons with disabilities. If your own polling place isn’t suitable — unable to accommodate wheelchairs, for example — other arrangements must be made. So, call your local election office, tell them you’re disabled and ask them for the location of an accessible voting place that’s close to where you live. Then, have them make arrangements for you to vote there.
If no official polling place meets your needs, ask if you can vote at the county courthouse or a similar public building. Some polling places make curbside voting available if the building is accessible. They’ll bring a voting device out to the street so you can exercise your rights.
If you are blind or cannot read, you have a right to have a person of your choosing help you vote. That helper can read the ballot to you and help you mark it. This is a right protected by U.S. law.
If you’re in a polling place and having problems voting or getting to a voting device, don’t hesitate to ask a poll worker for assistance. Their job is to make sure everyone gets to vote.
If you go to vote and can’t get to the voting device because it’s inaccessible, you can phone the central voting office to complain. The problem is the phone number is going to be very busy on Election Day. A poll worker may be able to help you. Contacting the election office in advance and learning about your options early can often help you avoid access problems on Election Day.
Of course, you can always request an absentee ballot before the election and mail it in. (See section on mail-in ballots, starting on page 5.) Be sure to ask for it in a signed letter at least 30 days before Election Day. That way, the election office will have time to mail you the ballot and you will have time to mail it back. If you think that it’s possible that you won’t be able to make it to the polls on Election Day, don’t take any chances. Request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
Language Barriers
If you, a friend or relative is more fluent in another language than in English, you may be able to get special language help at the polling place.
In cities or counties that have large populations that speak a certain language, federal law says there should be ballots, instructions and other voting materials in that language. Special poll workers who speak the language may also be available to provide assistance. These rules don’t apply everywhere, however. They generally apply in areas where a language is spoken by at least 10,000 people or 5 percent of the residents.
The languages covered by this law are Spanish, Asian languages, and American Indian and Alaskan native languages.
If you need language help and don’t live in one of the communities covered by the law, you could seek help from friends or relatives, or an ethnic organization. In some states, a non-English-speaking voter can bring a friend or relative into the voting booth with them. Check with your election office for the local rules.
Signing In
When you arrive at the polling place, go directly to a table where a poll worker will check you in. If, for some reason, your name isn’t on the list of registered voters for that polling place, stay cool. Ask them to look again. In some states, poll workers have access to the statewide lists and can see if you’re registered at some other polling place.
If your name is not on the list, you are entitled to a provisional ballot — a special ballot that will be counted separately from the others. If local election officials
check and find out that you are eligible to vote, your ballot will be counted.
The bottom line? When you go to vote at your polling place, you have the right to vote.
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