election protection

organizing manual

ENSURING YOUR VOICE IS HEARD,

AND YOUR VOTE IS COUNTED
Introduction
Are you going to be kept from voting this election? You could be. You and millions of other young
people may be disenfranchised from voting unless you are protected. Election Protection is a
movement that has started to ensure that at risk populations- including young people, working class
communities, and communities of color- are not blocked from voting. As a chapter leader you can help
educate your chapter and your community about disenfranchisement and give them the tools to protect
themselves this Election Day. Not to get all G.I. Joe on you, but this is important information that you
and your members can use to help ensure your vote is counted!

Go to 866ourvote.org for more information, or call the non-partisan Election Protection hotline
866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)

Top 10 Common Types of Deceptive practices and Voter Disenfranchisement:

1. Voter Intimidation
• Organized misinformation campaigns often target young people, minorities, and other
communities in the run-up to Election Day.
• Many states allow partisan operatives to selectively challenge voters at the polls, sometimes
resulting in challenges based on voters’ race, ethnicity or English language skills.
• Partisan operatives often resort to “dirty tricks” in order to depress the votes of the opposing
party.
• State agencies have been known to abuse their authority in ways that can suppress the votes of
identifiable communities.

Daily Pennsylvanian- Philadelphia, PA,USA - Oc tober 2008

False Flyers Aim to In timida te Voters
A flyer has been distributed around Philadelphia universities and in low-income neighborhoods over the last
month, incorrectly stating that voters with outstanding arrest warrants or unpaid traffic tickets might be
arrested if they show up to cast a ballot. According to Zack Stalberg, CEO of the Philadelphia political watchdog
group Committee of 70, "it would be extremely odd for somebody to go to all this trouble if it wasn't an effort at
voter suppression." Sean Miller, president of Drexel's College Democrats, agreed that "whoever posted the flyers
is obviously interested in suppressing the college and African American vote - the new voters who are excited
about this election."

2. Tampering wit h Voting Machines and Ballo t Stuffing

• Destroying election material, ballot stuffing, or discounting material to annul results for
individual polling stations or even whole constituencies.
• Physically tampering with the software and/or hardware of voting machines and writing if off as
a technical problem.
3. Voter Challenges
• Mass challenges of the eligibility of voters because of race and/or status.
• Challenging voters without personal knowledge of a voter’s eligibility.
• Challenging a voter’s eligibility based on Latino or Asian sounding last names.

Great Falls Tribune - Great Falls, MT, USA - October 2008

Judg e Kn ocks Voter Challenge
A federal judge on Wednesday issued a scathing criticism of Republican efforts to challenge the registrations of
nearly 6,000 voters in Montana. The judge slammed the effort as "mischief" that targeted young Democrats and
may have violated voter-rights laws. Those statements came in an order released by U.S. District Judge Donald
Molloy in Missoula. Molloy scheduled an Oct. 14 hearing in a lawsuit that alleges Republicans had aimed to
intimidate voters in key Democratic precincts. "The timing of the challenges is so transparent, it defies common
sense to believe the purpose is anything but political chicanery," Molloy wrote. He added that Republicans "filed
false affidavits with the express intent to disenfranchise voters." "Eaton targeted counties with young and likely
Democratic voters, who might have changed their mailing address," Molloy wrote. "In his zeal to protect what he
sees as Montana's fragile democracy from these transient hordes, Eaton ignored the very law that answers his
challenges."

4. Voter Identif ication and Proof of Citizenship

• Millions of Americans lack government-issued photo ID, particularly young people, the elderly,
people with disabilities, the working class, and people of color. Strict voter ID requirements
will block thousands of legitimate votes for the one, rare fraudulent ballot.
• Voter fraud at the polls is actually minimal, new voter ID laws are not based upon evidence of
individuals impersonating other voters at the polls.

Wall Street Journal- New York, NY, USA – October 2004

Rep ublican Admi ts Systema tic Chall eng es of Bla ck and Hi spani c V oters in 200 2
"In the 2002 antifraud experimental run, hundreds of Republican activists slipped on their green vests and
tested out the role of poll monitor. In Milwaukee, the volunteers contested the residency of some black voters
and in the Hispanic communities they questioned the nationalities of others. Overall, not much came of it. Even
Mr. Graber [Wisconsin Republican Chairman] concedes there were 'few reports of trouble.' But he says the "dry
run" two years ago has better prepared the party for the challenges today."

5. Provisional B allots
• The Help America Vote Act requires all polling places to allow people to fill out provisional
ballots if their name is not on their precinct list.
• Provisional ballots have been infamous for not being counted fairly or counted at all, so it is
recommended that if possible you fill vote at your assigned precinct.

6. Disenfranchisement of People with Felony Convictions

• Thirteen states disfranchise citizens who have completed their sentences, sometimes for life.
• States adopted felony disfranchisement restrictions as part of their voter eligibility laws, like
age and residency requirements.

7. Poll Worker Training

• Better poll worker training would have prevented a significant number of problems during the
 fall primaries.
• Many poll workers earn less than they would flipping hamburgers.
• Qualified poll workers are least available where most needed.
• The computerization of U.S. elections presents special challenges for an aging and under-
trained work force at the polls.

Washington Post and Baltimore Sun- Baltimore, MD, USA - January 2007
GOP Supp ression Ta cti cs in 2006
In Maryland, just days before the 2006 general election, copies of the Election Day manual for the Maryland
Republican Party were obtained; in that manual, Republican Party workers were given false information about
voters' rights, were told systematically to challenge voters and were advised to threaten election judges with jail
time. Also in Maryland, on Election Day, flyers were distributed in Prince George's County, by the Ehrlich/Steele
Republican campaign, falsely stating that African American elected officials had endorsed the Republican
candidates for U.S. Senate and for Governor and misleading voters about the party affiliation of those
candidates.

8. Inflation and/or Deflation of Voter Lists

• Registering deceased or fictional people as voters.
• Registering in a state or precinct with a contested election that you do not reside in.
• Having land assigned to you prior to an election to qualify as residency and having it removed
immediately following the election.

9. Voting Access to People with Language Barriers or Disabilities

• People pretending to help blind, disabled, or multilingual voters and falsely recording their
intended vote.
• Only 20% of polling places are fully accessible to people with disabilities and elderly voters.
• The Voting Rights Act federally mandates multilingual ballots to assist non-English speaking
voters.

10. Tabulation
• Counting ballots multiple times, or not counting ballots at all.
• Bribery or intimidation of Election officials.
• Interfering in the data transmission of results or tampering with tabulation software.
• Spoiling votes by marking more than one candidate.

PROTECTION
Many of these actions, deliberate or not, have successfully disenfranchised groups of voters where
turnout is already too low. Educating the “at risk” population and preparing them to deal with the
barriers that might be placed in front of them will ensure that these voices are heard. Young people
are easy targets for this disenfranchisement either because it’s our first time voting and were unaware
of the process, or because we move a lot and face registration barriers, or because we’re students on
college campuses. By educating your chapters and your communities on the barriers to voting and how
they can protect their votes we are all working to ensure the Democratic process works, and making
sure our voices are heard and our votes are counted.
If you or someone you know feels that you were unrightfully kept from voting at a precinct, or you think
your vote wasn’t counted fairly, call 866-OUR-VOTE to report any problems on or leading up to Election
Day! Again, the non-partisan Election Protection hotline is 866-OUR-VOTE !!

four Programs Your Chapter Can Do To Protect Youth Voters

1. Host a Protection Party (Appendix A)

2. Election Protection Educational Workshops (Appendix B)

3.. Party at the Polls (Appendix C)

Appendix A

host a protection party

WHO
You and your Local Chapter

WHAT
A mixer, happy hour, or any other social event to raise awareness about Election Protection and how
your members can:
1. Protect themselves and their voting rights on Election Day, and
2. Help to educate other members in their communities

WHERE
House parties, restaurants, happy hours, etc GET CREATIVE!

WHEN
The time is NOW! With these last weeks leading up to Election Day we need to get the word out to as
many people as possible.

WHY
It’s a fun social event that will get your chapter’s name out there and ensure your voice is heard, your
vote is counted, and that other people have the same rights. You can also volunteer as a chapter, and
use your Protection Party to recruit others to volunteer, to work at the election polls, or to assist the
Election Protection campaign leading up to the election and on Election Day.
Appendix B

Election protection educational workshops

WHO
You, your Local Chapter, and your community

WHAT
A townhall event, a workshop, or an educational forum that your Young Democrats chapter can put on
and host for your community. You can do this event as a Chapter or team up with other organizations
and coalition partners to reach a wider base.

WHERE
You can open one of your chapter’s upcoming meetings to your community and instead of your normal
meeting agenda put on an educational segment on the common types of voter disenfranchisement and
how people can ensure a fair election come November. You can also team up with allied organizations
to host a coalition meeting or workshop.

WHEN
Before November 4th!!

WHY
You will be growing your chapter, building coalitions, and doing a positive service to your community
all at the same time.
Appendix C

Party at the polls

WHO
You and your chapter members

WHAT
Host a Party at the Polls where you monitor polling places for voters being turned away, pass out
refreshments to the line, play music, and hand out information about voter’s rights.

WHERE
All of the precincts in your county

WHEN
November 4th

WHY
You can provide entertainment and refreshments to long lines, and what better way to help voters in
your area by actually making sure they are being allowed to vote on Election Day! You will be informing
them of their rights and giving them the resources to report any intimidation or voter
disenfranchisement. Check your state laws or call the YDA office for other rules that may apply. You
will also be able to report any instances yourself directly to the non-partisan legal team at
1-866-OUR-VOTE so that immediate action can be taken to ensure that no one else is kept from voting
fairly.

B est of l uck with your ev ents,

a nd rem em b er to Keep it Bl ue!