Your voting questions answered
Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF SOMEONE TRIES TO STOP ME FROM VOTING?
A: Report it. If you’re at a polling place, flag a poll worker or another official. If you’re elsewhere, notify your state or local election officials. Numbers and email addresses are usually easy to find online.
If you have additional questions or run into problems, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE. The hotline is a nonpartisan resource run by Election Protection, a coalition of voting-access advocacy groups. You can also direct message or chat with a volunteer online.
Keep in mind that voter suppression can take many forms—physical threats, intimidating phone calls and misinformation designed to keep you from casting your ballot. Even if you end up voting, speak up about what happened. Your colleagues and neighbors may be facing similar challenges.
—Lissandra Villa
Q: Is it better to vote early, or on Election Day?
A: THERE IS, OF COURSE, NO SINGLE right answer. COVID-19 is impacting everyone’s health, job and support system differently. But if you’ve decided to forgo absentee or voting by mail—or if those are not options for you in your state—here are some factors to consider.
Early voting offers some clear benefits because polling places are often less crowded than they are on Election Day. It’s an easy way to decrease your risk of exposure to COVID-19 while still voting in person. Most states are offering some form of in-person voting before Election Day this year, and many have upped the number of hours and days that polling places are open. Some states have also extended voting to weekends—which is all good news for keeping crowds in check.
Early voting also acts as an insurance policy. If something unexpectedly goes wrong on Election Day—your car breaks down, the weather takes
