October 28-November 3, 2004

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Make Your Voice Heard

On Election Day, you have many rights as a voter. Know them!

by William M. George

To ensure an equal and fair election, it is imperative to know your rights before you go to the polls. Your vote matters on Tuesday, and it will determine whether working families have good jobs, affordable health care, education, workplace rights, job safety, civil rights, retirement security and much more.

Four years ago, deliberate voting-rights violations in Florida and around the country stole the votes of thousands of working families, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, retirees, persons with disabilities, new citizen voters and the poor. These same groups were told they could not vote or learned their vote did not count because of faulty voting systems or blatant voter intimidation.

At the same time, some political groups deliberately tried to discourage and intimidate voters. In Florida, thousands of names were erroneously removed from the voting rolls because the state mistakenly identified them as convicted felons. In polling places across the country, voters on Election Day encountered poorly designed and confusing ballots, voting machines that broke down and inadequately staffed polls that closed early or opened late. Many polling places were inaccessible to people with disabilities or located far away from older voters' homes.

Let's make sure it doesn't happen again in 2004.

In our commonwealth, under the Pennsylvania Voters' Bill of Rights, you have many rights when it comes to voting. They include the right to:

• Vote without being discriminated against or intimidated.
• Cast a ballot if you're in line when polls are supposed to close.
• Vote after signing a voter's certificate and having your signature compared with the signature in the district register.
• Vote even if you are at least 65 years old or have a disability (temporary or permanent), and your polling place is not accessible. In those circumstances, request an alternative ballot from your county election office. Be sure to return it in person so that it is at the county election office by Election Day. If you are not disabled, you should return the alternative ballot yourself.
• Vote even if an election officer challenges your eligibility or if you are a first-time voter who registered by mail. Present a valid photo identification such as driver's license, ID card issued by the Pennsylvania or U.S. government, U.S. passport, student ID card, employee ID card or U.S. Armed Forces ID card. If you do not have any of the above forms of photo identification, present one of the following that shows your name and address: voter registration card, nonphoto ID card issued by the Pennsylvania or U.S. government, firearm permit, current utility bill, paycheck or government check.
• Submit a provisional ballot, even if your name isn't on the precinct list, an election officer challenges your eligibility and you don't have ID as long as you swear in writing that you are registered and eligible to vote.
• Get access to a replacement ballot if you make a mistake.
• Receive materials in Spanish in Philadelphia County.
• Vote even if you are an ex-prisoner. You may register (if necessary) and vote upon your release from prison.
• Remain in the voting booth for up to three minutes.
• Take your minor child or children to the polling place and one minor child into the voting compartment.

Voting is your right! Don't let anyone take that right away from you. Every vote counts in this election, so make your voice heard on Tuesday! If you have any questions regarding your right to vote, please call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

William M. George is president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. If you would like to respond to this Slant or have one of your own (800 words), contact Brian Hickey, City Paper managing editor, 123 Chestnut St., third floor, Phila., Pa., 19106 or e-mail hickey@citypaper.net.