Prairie View A&M University [PVAMU] students are the vanguard of activists for student voting rights. It was here at PVAMU that students fought for and won the right for all students nationwide to vote where they go to school. Over the years, Prairie View students have organized to fight against voter suppression efforts and have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to participating in the political process and making their voices heard on issues that matter to them. It is one of the things that makes me most proud of being a PVAMU alum.
This is an election year like no other. Over the last few months, we have experienced unimaginable downturns in the economy, an unprecedented health crisis from the COVID-19 pandemic, and nationwide mass protests in response to a series of police-involved shootings. American citizens are deeply concerned about how all levels of government have responded and will respond to each of these unique crises. It is crucially important that we all think beyond who we will vote for and understand that many parts of this election process will be different.
What follows is a list of things to consider before you head out to the polls:
Make sure you are registered. In recent years, there have been increased efforts by election officials to remove the names of voters from registration lists, which would make them ineligible to vote on Election Day. Names have been removed because voters have opted out of voting in previous elections, or because their names matched too closely to convicted felons who are legally barred from voting. Studies have shown that Blacks and Latinos are more likely to be removed from state registration lists using these processes. This is why it is important that you make sure your name is still on the registration list before the registration process ends. To save yourself some time and a headache on Election Day, check before you go. You can go to votetexas.gov to check your status.
Know where to vote. There is some concern that there will be fewer poll workers because of fears from COVID-19. As a result, there may also be fewer polling locations open for early voting and on Election Day. Check any of these places to find your polling location: vote411.org, or votetexas.gov or your county election website.
Volunteer to be a poll worker. We are all used to seeing retirees checking our IDs before we vote. Those same seniors are particularly susceptible to COVID-19; consequently, it’s less safe for them to work. This means that all jurisdictions will need younger volunteers to fill in the gaps. You might consider working the polls so that your community doesn’t have to close or combine locations. You can check the following websites to understand the process in your community: eac.gov/help-america-vote or my.lwv.org/texas/county-election-workers.
Know your ballot. There was a time in the state of Texas when you could just vote for your party ticket. This is no longer possible. Now you have to fill in every choice if you want your vote to be counted. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that provides a guide for voters to compare candidates. A week or two before the election, you can go on their website (vote411.org), choose your candidates and print out a list of your preferred candidates. This allows you to research candidates, study the issues, and make an informed decision. You cannot open your phone in the booth, so printing a sample ballot from your county website, vote411.org, or taking written notes is better.
Don’t spread misinformation. Inaccurate and intentionally misleading information plays a critical role in elections in the digital age. Tech-savvy people can create professional-looking websites that look like real newspapers. You can often tell the difference between a real news outlet and a fake one. If you check the URL, look at the other articles surrounding the story, click on the “about us” section, or verify with a familiar and reputable news outlet. Don’t share articles without being sure of their accuracy. There are many places to verify what politicians say. Here are two: factcheck.org and politifact.com.
Vote early! One way to be sure that you don’t have to wait in long lines on Election Day is to vote early. Early voting in Texas goes from Tuesday, October 13 to Friday, October 30. You can find locations and hours on your county website. If you live in a county with less than 100,000 people, you can request extended voting hours. Here’s a list of county websites: sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/links.shtml#County.
Remind/help a friend to vote. Sometimes people will do something simply because they are asked. Talk to your friends and ask them if they are registered. If they aren’t registered, help them figure it out. If they are, talk over the issues with them or offer them a ride to the polls.
Vote by mail. There are some limits to this option, but if you meet the criterion, you have until Friday, October 23, to apply for an absentee ballot (webservices.sos.state.tx.us/forms/5-15f.pdf). The ballot must be submitted to your county election office or postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Melanye Price, Ph.D.
Call someone if you have trouble at the polls. If you believe you have been incorrectly denied the right to vote, there are election protection organizations that can help. For instance, you can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE or visit 866ourvote.org. These organizations have lawyers ready to help solve your problem. You can also reach out to the texasvoterprotection.org.
Expect delays in reporting the outcome. Because there are so many people voting by mail in this election, and counties are not hiring more workers, it will take longer to count and report the results. It will likely take days for a full reporting of all votes. We should all be prepared to go to sleep on Election Day not knowing who won.
Melanye Price, Ph.D.,is an endowed professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University.