November 1, 2016

A voter who may have been wrongfully purged or removed from the voter rolls or is experiencing other problems at the polls should know how to protect their right to vote in the 2016 presidential election--using either a REGULAR BALLOT, or a PROVISIONAL BALLOT. 

If You Have Been Illegally Purged or Can’t be Found on the Voter Registration List 

  • Can I find out whether I’m registered or may have been illegally purged? You can check your voter registration status here or in Pulaski County with a sample ballot here.

  • What should I do if the poll worker tells me that they cannot find me in the poll books, and say I am not a registered voter. Calmly, but firmly insist that you are entitled to vote and ask them to help you locate your registration and provide you a regular ballot. If the poll workers are unwilling to give you a regular ballot, ask them to call your county clerk and members of the county board of election commissioners. If it is Election Day and you do not have time to struggle for your ballot, do not leave your polling place without casting a provisional ballot. 

  • Can I vote early if I have been illegally purged? Yes, you can vote early in-person with a provisional ballot. If you have a problem voting early, you can also leave the polling place and use the time between then and Election Day to try to resolve the problem, so you can be assured of your ability to cast a regular ballot. 

  • Do I need to do anything after I cast my provisional ballot to make sure it counts? Yes, you should contact your county Board of Election Commissioners about the status of your provisional ballot and attend any public hearing to ensure your vote is counted. Contact information for the state Board of Election Commissioners is at the end of this alert. 

  • Do I still need to provide identification? No, with the exception stated below. By law, poll workers are required to ask voters for ID, but you do not have to show ID to vote with a regular ballot. [Exception: if you registered by mail after January 1, 2003 and did not provide a verified last for digits of a social security or driver’s license number and have not previously voted, you will have to provide some proof of your identity, but it does not need to be a photo ID. Employee badges, college IDs, passports, military IDs, and utility bills with your name and current address are all acceptable forms of identification.] 

  • What should I do if someone intimidates or harasses me at a polling place? If someone does something in an attempt to stop you from voting, that person is violating federal law. Examples of intimidation include aggressive questioning about whether you are a qualified voter, lying about being an election official, or spreading false information about voter requirements. If you witness a person doing things like this at a poll, report them to any or all of the organizations listed below. Here's more information regarding voter intimidation.

If you feel your rights have been violated, write down everything you can remember, including names of any election officials, where you attempted to cast your ballot, any information they provided you, and any other details. Get contact information for witnesses. 

Voters who believe their rights have been violated are encouraged to report these concerns to the 

Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or en Español: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682) and the resources listed below. 

FOR ASSISTANCE & MORE INFORMATION 

  1. ACLU of Arkansas: by calling 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683 or https://www.acluarkansas.com/get-help

  2. County Clerks: www.arcounties.org/counties 

  3. County Board of Election Commissioners (your local election oversight officials): https://www.arkansas.gov/sbec/election-commissioner

  4. Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners: 1-501-682-1834 or 1-800-411-6996 or https://www.arkansas.gov/sbec/about-us/       Note: you must file a formal complaint within 30 days if you wish the ASBEC to take action on an issue. 

  5. Arkansas Secretary of State: 1-800-482-1127 

  6. U.S. Department of Justice, Voting Rights Section: 1-800-253-3931 or 1-202-307-2767 

  7. U.S. Attorney Offices: Little Rock 1-501-340-2600; Fort Smith 1-479-783-5125 

The ACLU has additional voting and elections resources including a more complete Guide to Voting in Arkansas, information about regaining your right to vote after a criminal conviction here:  http://www.acluarkansas.org/voting-rights and here: https://www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights

Stay informed