Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts, and access disability-related accommodations and linguistic communication help at the polls. For assistance at the polls, phone call the non-partisan Ballot Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

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Collage of images that represent voting discrimination

I need to register to vote

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States have different voter registration deadlines and requirements, so make sure you are registered well in advance of Election Day. Voter registration deadlines vary and some states permit individuals to register for the first time and cast ballots on Election Solar day.

What to exercise

  • Check your registration status at Can I Vote.
  • If you are non registered to vote, go to vote.gov to discover your options. This link volition provide data nearly your registration options, which may include online registration.

I need to find my polling place

Every land offers options to vote in-person on Election Solar day, even those that primarily carry elections by mail service.

What to exercise

  • Find your polling place or vote center and its hours of functioning.
  • Make a plan for Election Day: When and where volition yous cast your vote, and how will you get in that location?

I'm not certain what to bring to the polls

Your state may require you to bring an ID or bring documents to show your residence, particularly if you're voting for the first time. Make certain you're prepared.

What to do

  • Acquire what materials you lot'll need to bring with y'all to the polling place on Ballot Day.

I desire to vote before Ballot Day

Your rights

  • If yous cannot vote in-person on Ballot Twenty-four hour period, you may be able to vote early or past absentee vote-by-mail ballot.
  • Some states let whatever voter to vote absentee; others have stricter requirements.

What to do

  • Learn about your options to exercise absentee or early voting in your country.
  • Continue in mind that the deadline to request an absentee ballot may be before Election Day.

What are my general rights on Election Twenty-four hour period?

Your rights

  • If the polls close while you're even so in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
  • If you make a mistake on your election, ask for a new i.
  • If the machines are down at your polling place, inquire for a paper election.
  • If you see any problems or accept questions on Ballot Solar day, telephone call the Election Protection Hotline:
    • English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
    • Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
    • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-United states of america / ane-844-925-5287
    • For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Standard mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: i-888-274-8683

The poll worker says my name is non on the list of registered voters

Your rights

  • Voters are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if they aren't in the poll volume.
  • Subsequently Ballot Day, ballot officials must investigate whether you are qualified to vote and registered. If you are qualified and registered, they volition count your provisional ballot.

What to do

  • Enquire the poll worker to double bank check for your name on the listing of registered voters. Make sure to spell your name out for the poll worker.
  • If your name is not on the list, inquire if there is a supplemental listing of voters.
  • If the poll worker nevertheless cannot find your name, confirm that you are at the correct polling place:
    • Request that the poll workers check a statewide organization (if one is available) to see if you are registered to vote at a dissimilar polling place.
    • If the poll worker does not take access to a statewide organization, inquire them to call the principal election office.
    • You can also call one-866-OUR-VOTE and inquire for assistance verifying your proper polling place.
    • If you are registered at a different location, in virtually instances you will have to travel to that location to bandage a regular election.
  • If the poll worker still cannot find your name or if you cannot travel to the correct polling place, ask for a provisional ballot.

Additional information

  • If you lot are turned away or denied a conditional ballot, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or ane-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
  • Study your experience to local election officials.

I am a voter with a disability

Your rights

  • Under federal law, all polling places for federal elections must exist fully accessible to older adults and voters with disabilities. Merely allowing curbside voting is not plenty to run into Americans with Disabilities Human activity (ADA) accessibility requirements.
  • In federal elections, every polling identify must have at least ane voting system that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently. Unremarkably, this is a car that tin can read the ballot to you (for people with vision disabilities or dyslexia), and permit you vote by pushing buttons (for people with mobility disabilities).
  • Under federal police, voters with disabilities and voters who have difficulty reading or writing English accept the right to receive in-person help at the polls from the person of their choice. This helper cannot exist the voter'southward employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an agent or officer of the voter's union. The helper must respect the voter's privacy, not looking at the voter's ballot unless the voter asks them to practice so.
  • Election officials (including poll workers) must brand reasonable accommodations equally needed to help yous vote.
  • Election officials must provide you with help if it'due south possible for them to do and then.
  • A voter with a mental disability cannot be turned away from the polls because a poll worker thinks they are not 'qualified' to vote.

What to do

  • You can bring a family member, friend, or another person of your pick to assist you at the polls. Do not bring your employer, or an agent of your employer or spousal relationship.
  • If you lot bring a person to assist y'all, let the poll workers know that when you bank check in. They may ask you to swear under oath that you take a inability and that you have asked that person to assistance you. Your helper may also exist required to sign a form swearing that they did non tell you how to vote.
  • If there are long lines and you lot have a physical or mental wellness condition or inability that makes it difficult for you lot to stand in line, tell a poll worker.
  • Tell ballot officials what you demand. For instance, if information technology'south difficult for you lot to stand, they should provide you lot with a chair or a place to sit while you lot wait. If the crowds or noise are difficult for yous, election officials can find a quiet place for you lot to wait and call you when it's your plough to vote.
  • If you are not able to enter your polling identify because the pathway to it is not fully accessible, inquire poll workers for curbside assistance. Also call one-866-OUR-VOTE to report the issue.
  • If you have difficulty using the materials provided to make your election selections, review, or cast your ballot, let a poll worker know and ask for the help you lot need. Accessibility is the law.
  • If you face any challenges in voting privately and independently or are unable to cast your vote, report the problem to the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained attorneys can assistance you and make certain that other voters practice not feel the same problem.

     Boosted information

  • Find detailed voting guides at Bazelon Center for Mental Health Police
  • For a toolkit on voting with a disability, visit the Autistic Self Advancement Network.
  • Visit SABE'southward GoVoter Project for accessible trainings on how to practice your rights every bit a voter with a disability.
  • Take a course on polling place accessibility requirements at the Rocky Mountain ADA Center.
  • For voting in formation in American Sign Language, visit SignVote.

I speak English language less than "very well"

Your rights

  • Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English may receive in-person aid at the polls from the person of their choice. This person cannot exist the voter's employer, an amanuensis of the voter's employer, or an agent or officer of the voter'due south union.
  • Counties covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act are required to provide bilingual assistance to voters in specific languages. This means that they must provide poll workers who speak sure languages, and make all election materials and election-related information available in those languages. Cheque whether your county is required to provide bilingual election assistance in a language you speak.

What to do

  • You tin bring a family member, friend, or other person of your choice to assist you at the polls. Exercise non bring your employer, or an agent of your employer or matrimony.
  • If y'all live in a county that'due south required to provide bilingual voting assistance for a linguistic communication yous speak, you lot can asking oral help from a bilingual poll worker and ask for voting materials, such as a ballot, in that linguistic communication.
  • If yous have trouble voting due to lack of English fluency, call one of these hotlines:
    • Castilian: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
    • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-United states of america / 1-844-925-5287
    • English: i-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683.
    • Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese): 1-888-API-VOTE / ane-888-274-8683

Additional information

  • For detailed guidance on bilingual voting assistance, visit Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

Someone is interfering with my right to vote

Examples of voter intimidation

  • Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
  • Falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
  • Displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
  • Other forms of harassment, especially harassment targeting not-English speakers and voters of color.
  • Spreading false information about voter requirements.
    • You do not need to speak English language to vote, in whatsoever land.
    • Y'all do non need to pass a exam to vote, in whatsoever country.
    • Some states do not require voters to present photo identification.

Your rights

  • It's illegal to intimidate voters and a federal crime to "intimidate, threaten, [or] coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of [that] other person to vote or to vote equally he may cull."

What to do if you experience voter intimidation

  • In many states, yous can requite a sworn statement to the poll worker that you satisfy the qualifications to vote in your state, and and so continue to cast a ballot.
  • Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
  • Written report intimidation to your local election officials. Their offices will be open on Election Day.