Voting

One of the reasons I've been so quiet around here lately (among many) is that I'm very involved in the US election season and I don't want to inflict my passion on you guys and lose the site's focus. I'm pretty sure you know where I stand (with Kerry), I won't go into it further than that, and you may note I've turned off the comments for this post. I think we pretty much know where we all stand by now and we don't need to rehash it.

What I want to address in this post is voting rights. If you're a voter of either party you need to know your rights so that your vote counts, especially if you're a new voter. More after the jump.

Here is a good list of things you need to know before you go to your polling place:

1. Bring legal ID.
2. If you are newly registered, make sure you are on the rolls; call your county.
3. If you get a voter's pamphlet or sample ballot in the mail, READ IT. Make sure you can tell, if you get a sample ballot, how to vote for the person you want.
4. If you get a sample ballot bring it with you and mark it beforehand.
5. Avoid going to the polls in early morning and evening hours when everyone else shows up.
6. Know your voting rights! Ask for help if you need it.
7. If your name does not appear, cast a provisional ballot; if you are registered, BE ASSERTIVE! Don't let anyone tell you you can't vote.
8. Stop and check that the ballot has reflected your intentions before you
   turn it in; ask for a new ballot if you have misvoted.
9. If you suspect you've been subjected to harrassment, intimidation or outright denial of your voting rights, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. The Democratic Party and the Kerry campaign will also have people at many, many polling places whose sole job will be to help ALL people whose registration is challenged at the polling place. They'll be visible; just look for them.

Update I: A fellow Oregonian reminds me to tell all y'all voting absentee or vote-by-mail as we do here: You've got to get your ballot in the mail by this Friday (the 29th) to make sure it gets to your county election office by Tuesday the 2nd at 8 pm! POSTMARKS DO NOT COUNT! When I was a radio producer I accidentally disenfranchised any number of people by saying it was postmark. I still cringe.

Update II: Here's a good state-by-state resource on voters rights.

Update III: I dropped off John's and my ballots at our county election office this morning (Tuesday the 26th). Those of you with early voting, GO VOTE!