Voter integrity has been a major topic of discussion this election cycle. WAMC'S David Guistina discussed election protection with Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, and Erica Smitka, executive director of the League of Women Voters of New York.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Editor's note: This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
David Guistina: Let's start with Susan with a really basic question. Tell us exactly what is the nonpartisan election protection program.
Susan Lerner: It's a national program. It's the largest nonpartisan coalition that works to help voters across the country. Here in New York, we've been doing election protection with our partners, the League and many others, for over a decade. And so, what we do is we train everyday New Yorkers, volunteers who receive a basic background in New York election law. They're part of a network that is tied together electronically to be outside polling places to answer voter questions, to let us know about any issues that might arise — we hope none — so that we can help problem-solve.
Guistina: I think it's fair to say we've been seeing it all over the news that with immigration enforcement and other potential hazards, that might scare folks away from the voting booths. There's a reason that you're doing this is to alleviate fear as well.
Lerner: I do want to point out, David, that what's really important for people to know about election protection is that it's a local program. The people at polling places are residents of that area, and the community is coming out to be sure that voters know community members have their back. That's what election protection is about. [There's] over 100 organizations combined across the state.
Guistina: It's quite a coalition. It really is, and you're doing great work. But there's still this misinformation that gets out there. We're not going to repeat that misinformation, but maybe you could talk a little bit, Erica, about the debunking of this and and what you want New Yorkers to know that they can do.
Erica Smitka: Unfortunately, we see misinformation and disinformation every single year around our election cycle. So, it's really important that we reiterate for voters exactly what you said: what they can do and what they need to do.
The first thing to keep in mind is you don't need to bring an ID to the polls when you go to the polls in New York State. You should always make sure, double check, that you are registered to vote, double check that you know where your poll site is. You also have some other rights as a voter. So you don't need to bring an ID. You have the right to stay in line. If you are in line on election day, you should stay in line and make sure you cast your ballot. If your name is not found on the voter rolls, you also have the right to cast an affidavit ballot. Ask for an affidavit ballot or a provisional ballot from a poll worker.
The other thing is that voters should always make sure before you submit that ballot, whether it's a paper ballot or you're voting on a machine, just double check it. Double check that you've answered, you've ticked all the boxes. If you'd like, there is a copy of a sample ballot before you even go into the poll booth, so you make sure you know exactly who and and what measures you're voting on before you go in there, and then just double check that before you submit it.
Lerner: Everybody should know that it's eligible voters who get to vote. New York citizens are able to register and vote, and those are the people who are voting. So don't get confused. The eligibility requirements are clear. The boards of elections check them, and our voters are the eligible citizens who vote.
Smitka: That's right. Just because you don't need to bring an ID to the polls doesn't mean that we do not have an intricate process of ensuring voters are eligible and able to vote in their county. That process is done when you go to apply or register to vote, and your identification is double checked against a series of databases, both federal and statewide, to ensure that you are an eligible voter. I want to say, if you do have any problems at the polls on election day, you should call the election protection hotline, which is 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
Lerner: The hotline is live now. If voters have questions, you can get legal personnel to answer your questions. Any questions that you might have as simple as, "Am I properly registered? Where do I go to vote? What are the hours?" Or more complicated things: the hotline can answer in English and in Spanish, in various Asian languages, and in Arabic.
Guistina: One thing you've mentioned is to have a plan. You know, spend some time — even today, if you're listening to this right now — and figuring out these basic questions: am I registered? Where's my polling place? And if you're voting early, remember, you don't want to get confused because your polling place on early voting may not be the same place you vote on Election Day.
Lerner: Exactly. The hours for Election Day are much longer, so check the hours. For early voting, in most places it's nine to five, but we have two counties where it's 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and there are different. There are at least two days where early voting goes to 8 p.m. at night, so it pays to check.
Smitka: You can find that information on your county board of elections website. You'll be able to find a list of early voting poll sites, and if you live in New York City, you'll be designated one early voting poll site. So check out your county BOE website.
Guistina: You should also be aware as well, if there are ballot questions. We have a question about coroners being appointed or being elected on the ballot this year, and oftentimes that's the thing that you know you get to the the polls and you go, "Oh, wait a minute! I didn't even realize this was here." So you need to educate yourself.
Smitka: Absolutely, that's a critical piece of the puzzle. The League has a great voter guide at vote411.org. There we ask critical questions of candidates who are going to be on the ballot, so you can compare and decide who you're voting for before you get in there. And you'll also be able to see if there are ballot measures on your ballot, and the league will typically provide pros and cons to those ballot measures. This way, voters can make an educated choice and feel like they're ready to vote once they get to the polls.
Guistina: We've also got mail-in ballots, right? Absentee ballots that have to be counted.
Lerner: There's a very detailed procedure which the Board of Elections have to follow in order to determine and verify that a mail or absentee ballot that's come in is from an eligible voter before they allow that ballot to be cast. We have a very positive time period to allow the mails to catch up with the absentee and vote by mail delivery. So you have to mail your absentee ballot or your vote by mail ballot by November 3rd, and be sure that it's postmarked no later than November 3rd. But then there are 7 days until it has to be received by the Board of Elections. If it's postmarked in time and received in time, you're an eligible voter.
They check that you are eligible. You filled out the security envelope. You've signed it. You've dated it. They will then cast your ballot. Military ballots come in a little bit later. We don't want any eligible voter who's relying on a mail ballot not to have their vote cast. So this time period before we get final results is a very pro-voter measure that ensures that eligible voters aren't unfairly disenfranchised if there's a slowdown in the mail. But we do want to be sure that people know that vote by mail is still available to you. You can apply for your mail ballot. You can go online and request one. And we're urging people: when you get your ballot, don't wait. Fill it out. Send it right back.
