Lower than 24 hours earlier than this yr’s Election Day, greater than 78 million ballots have already been solid, and on Nov. 5 thousands and thousands extra will solid their votes throughout the U.S.
The proper to vote is protected on the federal stage by the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits proscribing a citizen’s proper to vote based mostly on race or shade in addition to prohibiting state and native election legal guidelines from utilizing voting practices which are deliberately discriminatory, in addition to the People With Disabilities Act, which requires that every one residents have equal entry to voting no matter a incapacity.
Whereas cases of voter fraud, voter suppression and voting system tampering are uncommon, they do represent felony acts. Listed here are ways in which individuals can report attainable irregularities or violations.
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Reporting attainable civil rights violations
Examples of civil rights violations throughout an election can embody:
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- Discrimination on the idea of race, shade, or membership in a language minority group whereas voting or making an attempt to vote
- Voter registration points
- Lack of accessibility whereas voting
- Absentee voting points for uniformed providers or abroad voters
Potential violations will be reported to the Division of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Reporting felony civil rights violations
The usage of violence or intimidation at polling places is a criminal offense and must be instantly reported, first to native regulation enforcement after which to the Department of Justice.
Complaints and experiences must also be directed to the native U.S. Attorney’s Office or FBI office.
Voters must also perceive that sure voting practices, comparable to absentee voting or requiring private identification at polling places, can fluctuate by state, and will be accessed at particular person state authorities websites.
Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He will be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com
( headline and story edited by our employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
