The reality is the vast majority of voters have already cast votes without incident this year.
The 2020 election has been one unlike any other. Whether it’s the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic causing an unprecedented surge in mail-in and early voting, Republicans’ barrage of attacks on voting rights, or President Donald Trump’s attempts to sow doubt about the election results, the US has not seen an election quite like this one in modern history.
Something else that’s happening at a pace not seen in recent years is voter intimidation efforts. Armed right-wing extremists plan to show up at ballot drop-off sites in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, a caravan of Trump supporters in pick-up trucks surrounded and followed a Joe Biden campaign bus, nearly running it off the road in Texas on Friday, and police officers in North Carolina pepper sprayed a group of marchers who were making their way to a polling site.
Law enforcement agencies in some jurisdictions have also announced they will be present at polling places, which could provide comfort to some voters, but also prove intimidating to others, including people of color.
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Collectively, these actions and countless others, including a Trump campaign effort to flood polling sites with unsanctioned poll watchers, have raised fears about the safety of voting in person on Tuesday. A recent survey from the nonprofit National Police Foundation found that 43% of Americans were worried about encountering interference while at the polls.
But the reality is these incidents are rare, and the vast majority of voters have already cast votes without incident this year. These events, while insidious and worrisome, gain outsized media attention precisely because they are abnormal and infrequent. Most states have laws in place preventing anyone from physically blocking a voter’s path into a polling location or interfering with the voter once they’re inside.
In general, the ACLU advises voters not to engage with aggressive supporters in any way at polling centers.
“If a voter is at the polling place and feels intimidated, they should first speak to the poll worker and explain why they feel intimidated,” Sarah Brannon, managing editor of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project told Fast Company. “The poll worker will know what the laws of the state are.”
The ACLU also shared a video on Tuesday, informing voters of their rights on Election Day.
If voters experience any issues, be it voter intimidation or other problems that could prevent them from exercising their democratic right, they should immediately call the nonpartisan Election Protection Coalition at 866-OUR-VOTE to report the incident. The organization’s website also features state-specific laws and information for voters.
Voters can also check out Courier Newsroom’s Your Vote 2020 election hub for information or reach out to us and report any problems, which we will do our best to respond to in real time.
READ MORE: Threat of Pepper Spray Isn’t Stopping This Election Day Rally In North Carolina
Keya Vakil Keya is a reporter at COURIER, where he covers everything from healthcare to climate change. Prior to joining Courier Newsroom, Keya worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.
