Actions for Super Tuesday and Beyond

What You Can Do to Defend the Vote on Super Tuesday

1. Vote (on a real paper ballot whenever possible)
2. Voter Education at the Polls
3. Record Precinct Data at Close of Polls
4. Monitor the Central Count at your County Elections Department

1. VOTE

(of course!)

Voting in person in your local precinct is always the best policy. If you have the option of requesting a paper ballot in lieu of voting DRE, always vote paper, not vapor.
If you have an absentee (mail-in) ballot that you haven't already mailed, walk it in to your local polling site on election day, or take it in person to the county election department any time prior to election day.
If you are voting on an optical scan system, the most reliable way to have your vote correctly read is to
mark your vote with a firm Number 2 leaded pencil!

2. VOTER EDUCATION at the POLLS

If you can "work the polls," election day is a great opportunity for effective voter education. (See informational flyer download links).
To avoid the appearance of "electioneering" you will have to meet voters 150 feet beyond the poll entrance. (See further notes below).

Sure it can be daunting -- talking to fellow citizens about democracy, and the government we share responsibility for.
But it is necessary!

Take along a friend or two and suddenly, it's not so hard.
You will find it is one of the most satisfying civic action experiences you've ever had.
Try it -- you'll like it. Trust us on this.

INFORMATION SHEETS you can download, print, and hand out to voters:

a. How Do You Know? (handbill)
http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/files/HowDoYouKnow.pdf

8 mini-handbills per sheet. Photocopy and slice along cutlines.
Color gets attention! Color copies cost about 50 cents. Otherwise, B&W will do.

b. VOTERS' "TOP 10" 411
What the Corporate Newsmedia Aren't Telling You About Elections and Your Vote
http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/files/EDA_Top10_rev020508.pdf

The "Top 10" factsheet above can be printed back-to-back with the election integrity volunteer form below:
( Problem-solving Sequence: 1. Get Informed. 2. Take Corrective Action. Right? )

c. Election Integrity Volunteer Signup Sheet
http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/files/Volunteer_Signup_020508.pdf

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A Note About "Electioneering"
Some people -- including election officials -- may try to tell you what you're doing is "electioneering" and illegal. It's not.
You are informing people about the realities of computer vote counting, which is a multipartisan concern.
This has nothing to do with advocating a vote for or against any candidate or issue, therefore it IS NOT electioneering.

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3. RECORD PRECINCT DATA at close of polls

Be present at 8:00 with a clipboard, notepad, pen, flashlight -- and digital camera if you have one.
Ask the pollworkers to copy or photograph the information on the pollworkers' signed summary report (sometimes called the "Blue Sheet")
that records how many voters cast ballots in the precinct; how many ballots were received, voted, or voided; how many foreign language and provisional ballots were cast; and other important information. Also ask to see and record the voter sign-in sheets (showing who voted at the precinct) and any machine trouble reports.

Watch the pollworkers print out the machine end-of-day vote reports from the voting machines. Then copy by hand, or photograph, these "poll tapes" after the pollworkers post them on the outside of the polling site.

If you can, please upload this information to the Precint Tally Capture Project: (link forthcoming)

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4. OBSERVE the CENTRAL COUNT at your COUNTY ELECTION DEPARTMENT

You are a member of the voting public and have the right to observe election procedures so long as you don't obstruct the election workers.
Don't let anybody tell you any different.

Things to bring: Clipboards, notepads, pens, digital cameras, video cameras, tape recorders, cell phones, and binoculars (to see the tabulator monitor screens).

For further instructions on Central Count Monitoring, LOOK HERE

ALSO See BBV and OEJC guides below for additional details about what to watch for and questions to ask.

ADDITIONAL GUIDES to ELECTION DAY MONITORING

BlackBoxVoting.org's Guide to Election Monitoring: What To Watch For

Also: Download the comprehensive 2006 Citizens' Toolkit by Black Box Voting Citizen's Tool Kit

Ohio Election Justice Campaign: Quarantine That Machine!
(Treat election violations as a crime scene)

Attachment	Size
HowDoYouKnow.pdf	1.65 MB