You plan to vote, you care deeply about the issues and candidates, but somehow… life gets in the way… you get that gig that is taking up so much time…

This election - you’re going to make a voting plan to make sure you get your ballot in.

Get Prepared:

• Check Your Registration -- even if you think you are registered.
• Register – if you aren’t already.
• Put Election Day on Your Calendar (or the day you are going to the polls for early voting, or the day you are going to send in your ballot)
• Do your research! Need help? – The California Labor Federation and the Los Angeles Federation of Labor endorsements are a great place to identify Labor-friendly candidates.

Mail or Polling place?

I’m going to the polling place:

• What time and day will you be voting? Some states and counties have early voting. Vote.org has info on early voting dates for all 50 states (along with tons of other useful information). In Los Angeles, Vote Centers will be open every day from 10 AM to 7 PM during the early voting period. On Election Day Vote Centers will be open from 7 AM to 8 PM.
• Where are you voting? Find your polling location.  (Los Angeles locations)
• Be sure to prep your sample ballot and take it with you so you can get in and out quickly. In Los Angeles, you can use the Interactive Sample Ballot to prep your ballot ahead of time, and create a Poll Pass, which will transfer all of your ballot selections to a  Ballot marking device at the Vote center.
• How are you getting there? Do you need a ride?
• Can you offer to bring someone with you?
• Do you need to take off work or secure childcare? Maybe consider mail-in voting, otherwise get your time off approved or babysitter scheduled!
• In states with voter I.D. laws: Do you have all the necessary documents to vote? Not sure what your state requires? Check here.
• Remember: POLITICAL MESSAGES AREN'T ALLOWED in the POLLING PLACE (that could include BLM t-shirts, Ruth sent me, MAGA gear, etc.) Messages can be interpreted by whoever is in charge. It could mean, in some cases, that a voter wearing a shirt they believe is political can be denied the right to vote after waiting in line for hours.
• Know your voting rights! And what to do if you encounter problems. See below for some common issues.

I’m voting by mail/absentee:

• California is sending everyone a ballot – if you are in another state, are you signed up for an absentee ballot? You can can request one here through Vote.org. Want to know about deadlines in your state? Check here at the ACLU.
• Do you have stamps? You can order them online:  https://www.usps.com/
• Where are you mailing from? Home? Work? Local mailbox? Where else can you drop off your ballot if that mailbox/location is unavailable? LA residents can check here for ballot drop off locations.  This page from NCSL has information about what each state allows with regard to dropping off absentee ballots (hint – scroll down and click the drop down menu: “Returning a Voted Absentee Ballot”)
• Make sure you give enough time for your ballot to arrive! Check out info about mailing ballots from the experts: the US Post Office.
• Read & follow instructions carefully – in some cases you may need to sign either the ballot or the envelope, and be sure to include the privacy envelope if you are instructed to.
• Want to track your ballot? Track the status of your mail-in ballot, from printed to accepted: https://ballottrax.net/voter/

Lastly – tell everyone you voted and encourage them to vote! 

Take the IATSE 2020 Voter Pledge!

Voting is the key to our democracy.  When you vote, you vocalize your beliefs and help influence change.

By taking this pledge, you are making a commitment to make your voice heard on Election Day. 

Take the 2020 voter pledge and receive additional resources to make a plan to vote.

TAKE THE PLEDGE

These excerpts are from the ACLU. Visit their page for more information.

What are my general rights on Election Day?

Your rights:

• If the polls close while you’re still in line, stay in line – you have the right to vote.
• If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
• If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
• If you run into any problems or have questions on Election Day, call the Election Protection Hotline:
  • English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
  • Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
  • Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
  • For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683

The poll worker says my name is not on the list of registered voters!

Your rights:

• Voters are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if they aren’t in the poll book.
• After Election Day, election officials must investigate whether you are qualified to vote and registered. If you are qualified and registered, they will count your provisional ballot.

What to do:

• Ask the poll worker to double check for your name on the list of registered voters. Make sure to spell your name out for the poll worker.
• If your name is not on the list, ask if there is a supplemental list of voters.
• If the poll worker still cannot find your name, confirm that you are at the correct polling place:
• Request that the poll workers check a statewide system (if one is available) to see if you are registered to vote at a different polling place.
• If the poll worker does not have access to a statewide system, ask them to call the main election office.
• You can also call 1-866-OUR-VOTE and ask for help verifying your proper polling place.
• If you are registered at a different location, in most instances you will have to travel to that location to cast a regular ballot.
• If the poll worker still cannot find your name or if you cannot travel to the correct polling place, ask for a provisional ballot.

Additional information:

• If you are turned away or denied a provisional ballot, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
• Report your experience to local election officials.

Someone is interfering with my right to vote!

Examples of voter intimidation:

• Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
• Falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
• Displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
• Other forms of harassment, particularly harassment targeting non-English speakers and voters of color.
• Spreading false information about voter requirements.
• You do not need to speak English to vote, in any state.
• You do not need to pass a test to vote, in any state.
• Some states do not require voters to present photo identification.

Your rights:

• It’s illegal to intimidate voters and a federal crime to “intimidate, threaten, [or] coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of [that] other person to vote or to vote as he may choose.”

What to do if you experience voter intimidation:

• In many states, you can give a sworn statement to the poll worker that you satisfy the qualifications to vote in your state, and then proceed to cast a ballot.
• Report intimidation to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español).
• Report intimidation to your local election officials. Their offices will be open on Election Day.