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Attention Voters: Here's What You Have to Do to Make Sure You Get to Vote
Voters should verify their voter registrations are current and then vote early to avoid Election Day delays at polling
places.
By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
Posted October 21, 2008
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Ignore the partisan attacks on new voters and voter registration groups. Call your county election office to ensure your
registration information is correct. Vote early to avoid Election Day delays, or use an absentee ballot if you know how
to fill one out.
For those voting on Election Day, know where your polling place is located, what ID to bring (especially new voters) and
expect lines. Call an election protection hotline if there is trouble. But be confident that you will vote if you have
followed your state's registration laws.
These are the messages from voting rights advocates as the partisan attacks on 2008's newest voters and voter drives
continue with two weeks to go before Election Day.
"People should not be worried," said Tova Wang, vice president for research at Common Cause, "but they should educate
themselves. For the overwhelming majority of people, there will be no problem ... But people should not let any tactic
that is intended to discourage them from voting stop them."
"I would verify my registration," said Gerry Hebert, executive director of Washington's Campaign Legal Center and a
former Voting Section chief at the Justice Department. "I would vote early… I would consider absentee voting. The only
caution against that (means of voting) is if you make a mistake, you might not get to correct it."
With two weeks to go before the 2008 presidential election, two seemingly contradictory trends are at play across the
national political landscape -- possibly confusing voters.
On one hand, Republicans -- from their presidential candidate, to state parties and their lawyers, to local McCain
supporters in law enforcement posts -- have been trying to alarm and discourage voters by saying that hundreds of
thousands of 2008's newest voters may not be legally registered.
On the other hand, record numbers of Americans have been voting in the handful of states where pre-Election Day, or
early voting is allowed and has begun. So far, most have not faced partisan challenges or bureaucratic barriers
hindering their right to vote. Moreover, early voting numbers suggest 2008 will be the highest turnout election in
decades.
"This is an incredibly exciting election year," said Common Cause's Wang. "Voters should just educate themselves about
the process."
What Should Voters Do?
Voters need to be sure they are properly registered. They can do this by calling their county election office and
verifying their voter registration information is in their county database and is current.
For full story see…