Got questions about voting? We have answers.
When it comes to exercising your right to vote, there are no stupid questions. We compiled some voter FAQ from our readers below
There is no such thing as a stupid question. Remember in school when your teacher would tell you “if you have a question, ask it now — someone else probably has the same one?”
Turns out that’s especially true when it comes to voting, which seems straightforward but can often be a very confusing process for many American citizens.
On The Washington Post Tumblr, we invited our followers to submit questions (any question! Basic, boring, or “dumb”), about anything election-related. Our only rule: there are no stupid questions. They asked everything from “Do you have to register to vote every year?” to “What actually *is* voter fraud?” and “Can I vote on the weekend?” A lot of you had questions about voter selfies, which we gladly answered as well.
We compiled some of the most common questions — and their answers — below. Hopefully they’ll be of some use to you this coming Tuesday! You can explore more on The Washington Post Tumblr.
How do I register to vote?
This answer is different depending on where you live! Every state has different deadlines for voter registration and different rules for in-person registration — you can look up your particular state with our handy voter guide. Read more here: how to vote in each state.
Why do you have to register to vote in USA? Aren’t you already registered if you are a citizen?
Good question! Registration rules vary from state to state, and every state runs its elections differently. But every state has two rules in common: you have to be a citizen to vote *and* *in addition to that* you have to be a registered voter.
And you’re right, in some democracies, you’re technically “already registered to vote” if you’re a citizen, and so that process doesn’t exist. But the history of voter registration in the United States is long and complicated; the short answer is, states require citizens to register as voters so that they can confirm voters’ citizenships and residences before they cast their ballots.
Can I take a selfie when I vote?
Can you vote on the weekend?
It depends on where you live! Some states allow for weekend voting during early voting.*
(*But right this minute, three days before the election, early voting has wrapped in many states. Double-check our graphic here — How to vote in every state. We also included links to state election websites so you can check your particular election calendar.)
I was convicted of a felony. I am currently on federal probation. Can I vote? I’ve heard different things from different people. Where does it say in writing that I don’t have voting rights?
This is a complicated question — the simple (but also still complicated) answer is, it depends on where you live.
According to The Sentencing Project, more than 6 million Americans are blocked from voting because of felonies. And this is because states have the power to determine who qualifies for voting. So this is why you see such a wide range of qualifications: in Vermont, for example, you can vote even while in prison; but in Kentucky, there’s a lifetime ban on felons voting.
You can read more below:
- He was ready to plead guilty. He wasn’t ready to give up his right to vote.
- Virginia’s Gov. McAuliffe to announce restoration of voting rights to 13,000 felons
- 6 million citizens, including 1 in 13 African Americans, are blocked from voting because of felonies
Can I wear candidate gear when I vote?
Double-check your local election code. Some don’t allow for “electioneering” within within 100 feet of a voting station. “Electioneering” can include anything from wearing candidate-related shirts to sporting campaign buttons to displaying logos on hats.
You can read more in this latest story — about a Texas Trump supporter who was arrested for wearing his “Make America Great Again” hat to the polls.
“Every election we have to advise people,” Elections Coordinator Cynthia Jaqua told the San Antonio Express-News. “They wear candidates’ shirts and we just have to remind them. ‘Please go into the restroom and turn it inside out.’”
I’m living overseas. Can I still vote?
So, your answer to two preliminary questions determine the overall answer to this question:
1) Are you still a United States citizen?
2) Where were you originally registered in the United States?
According to the U.S. Department of Travel, U.S. citizens should be able to vote by mail-in ballot. You do have to register again in the United States, in your place of residence where you were last registered, and then your state can send you your ballot electronically. But you’re still eligible to vote in that state’s elections, even if you haven’t owned property or done business in that state for multiple election cycles.
Once you fill out your ballot (you can do so up to 30 days before the election!), you can return it via email, fax or mail — or you can drop it off in person at the U.S. embassy in your country.
I’m voting by mail and I want to make sure my vote gets counted. Where should I turn it in?
If you’re worried about your ballot being counted before Election Day, you can always request a status check on your absentee or mail-in ballot (see this example, for Minnesota voters). Check your state’s information on elections and voting, or ask volunteers at your local polling place about how to best track your ballot. And truthfully, it doesn’t matter *where* you mail it — some people take their absentee ballots to a local poll and physically present there, and other people use their corner mailboxes. If you’re worried about postage, letter tracking or something else, visit your local post office and ask for further clarification.
What actually *is* voter fraud?
Technically speaking, voter fraud is interfering with an election process illegally. When people accuse others of “voter fraud,” they can mean voting twice, suppressing voters, voting under a fake identity, intentionally voting in the wrong state/location/polling place and more.
Read more here:
- Donald Trump says the election is “rigged.” Here’s what his supporters think that means.
- If you want to rig an election, here’s what you’d have to do.
- Election officials brace for fallout from Trump’s claims of a “rigged” vote
My sister claims that who you vote for doesn’t really matter because of the electoral college. Is she right? How exactly does that work?
Not exactly.
Here are the basics: A president needs a majority of the 538 electoral votes (at least 270) to win the presidency. There’s 538 votes because we have 100 Senators and 435 members of the House of Representatives — plus three electoral college votes to the District of Columbia.
This is different than the popular vote — technically, a presidential candidate could win a majority of the popular vote and still lose because the other candidate receives more electoral votes (see: Gore v. Bush in 2000).
A little bit of history into why this system even exists: in 1787, when leaders were drafting the U.S. constitution, the №1 thing they were worried about was giving too much power to the biggest states with the highest populations. There were only 13 states back then, but you can see this even now — a state like California has more people living in it than a state like Rhode Island, but they both are awarded electors in the electoral college to even out this imbalance.
Check out our handy guide: “How the electoral college works.” Our stick figure graphics can explain the basics.
How do state laws prevent voter intimidation?
Almost every state allows for “partisan observers” to watch election proceedings — and almost every state *also* forbids these same observers from threatening voters. Under federal law, it’s illegal in every state to harass voters “on the basis of race, ethnicity of the language they speak.”
But this is where it gets complicated: 39 states allow observers to “challenge fellow voters” if they suspect wrongdoing at the polls. And in some states, these observers can challenge fellow voters before they even cast their votes. In the news this week, Democrats have alleged poll watchers are using this ability to intimidate voters in at least four states.
If you’re worried about voter intimidation at your voting place: the U.S. Department of Justice encourages anyone who witnesses voter intimidation to file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division.
Read more here:
Be sure to visit The Washington Post on Nov 8 for live coverage of Election Day.
