|
Voting Rights Survey
Printable Brochure (Rich Text Version) ARE YOUR
COUNTY AND STATE
DEMOCRACY-READY? Does your county/state make elections as fair and democratic as possible? What aspects of the
process should be Please help us answer these questions about your local and state elections!
Questions
to Ask in Your Community and State
Voting at the Polls o
Are polling
hours for all elections sufficient for working families � for
example, 6 am to 9 pm as in New York? o
Are the
numbers of polling sites and polling stations in these polling sites
adequate for all elections? o
How are
polling sites selected? How accessible are these
sites? o
Is there
ample time for voters in the booth (i.e., no time limit which
discourages those needing more time)? o
Are voters
informed about any voting errors and able to correct those errors at
their precinct? o
Are polling
places accessible to people with
disabilities? o
Is early
voting � voting at designated polling sites before an election �
allowed? o
Is weekend /
holiday voting used or debated? o
Are voters
who are in line when the polls close still able to
vote? Voter
Education and Voting Standards
o
Are
voting standards uniform and non-discriminatory? o
Is a list of voters' rights posted
at polling places? o
What is the
procedure if a voter receives his/her voter registration card, but
learns his/her name is not on the voter registration list when at
the polls? o
How is
accuracy maintained in voter lists? How often are newly registered
voter names put on the list once they arrive in the election
office? What is the
verification process? o
What is the
law/procedure on challenged ballots? o
Does the
voting process offer a secret/independent ballot for people with
disabilities (those who use wheelchairs and those who are visually
impaired, for example)? o
How is the
need for bilingual ballots and language assistance determined? In what languages are they
provided? o
Are voter
guides sent out before elections? o
Are poll
workers well-trained and adequately
paid? o Do newspapers and radio and television stations assist with voter education and explanations of how to vote?
Voting
Rights for Citizens Convicted of a
Felony o
Can ex-felons
regain the right to vote? How difficult is
it? Voting
Equipment
o
What type of
equipment is used in polling places? o
How many
years has the equipment been in use?
o
How is the
voting equipment maintained prior to and on Election
Day? o
Can the
equipment handle instant runoff voting, proportional representation
and cumulative voting? o
Does the
voting equipment allow for a backup record for a re-count, if
necessary? Campaign Finance
Reform
o
Is some form
of public funding available for county, state and national
campaigns? o
Are there
limits on contributions to candidates /
parties? Instant Runoff
Voting
o
Has instant
runoff voting been used or debated? o
Does state
law allow for it to be used locally? o
Are
traditional runoffs used? Are they
costly? o
Have major
elections been won with less than a
majority? Proportional
Representation
o
Has a
proportional system been used or
debated? o Does state law allow for it to be used locally? o Are significant communities of concern / racial groups under-represented in your elected legislatures? Voter
Registration
o
When is the
cut-off date for people to register before an election? Has it been
shortened or increased recently? o
Are eligible
voters encouraged to register when applying for a driver's license
and benefits? Are they given assistance in filling out their
registration form to avoid errors? o
Is
election-day registration used or debated?
County and State
Election Boards
o
Do you have
such boards? Are they partisan or
non-partisan? o
Does the
local election board encourage public involvement?
o
What is the
relationship between state and local
boards? Candidates�
Access to Media, Debates and the Ballot
o How many signatures does it take for candidates for different offices to gain ballot access? o Are ballot access requirements different for major party candidates and for minor party and independent candidates? o Are all candidates able to participate in debates? o Is free/low-cost advertising available to viable candidates? o
Is the system for determining candidate viability for
advertising and debates fair and reasonable? Voting Rights
Act
o
Is your state
covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (which means that the
Dept. of Justice must approve changes to election
law/practice)? o
Which racial
and ethnic minorities in your area have the most to gain from the
Voting Rights Act? o
Has a lawsuit
based on the Voting Rights Act been filed in your locality or state?
What happened? This
checklist covers many important democracy issues, but not all. The
Center for Voting and Democracy and the Alliance for Democracy
developed it, with assistance from Voices of the
Electorate (VOTE), a project of the National Coalition for
Black Civic Participation.
For information on these issues and how to pursue reform in
your community and state, please contact: The Center for
Voting and Democracy
|
