Something crappy I was told when registering to vote today (Ohio)

[LiberalHeart]

First, let me say that I saw a post on DU about checking to be sure we're properly registered. So I did that, thru my secretary of state's website. Turned out I wasn't registered even though I had sent in a registration form (I had to register because I moved recently).

I contacted the board of elections to see what was wrong with my registration. I was told that I hadn't provided proper identification (last four digits of my SS number or my driver's license number). I thought I had done so, but I'll take them at their word because it's entirely possible. The BOE emailed me a form to print, fill out, and send in so I can complete my registration -- but I was worried it wouldn't get there by the deadline on Monday. Sooo, I called to get directions to the BOE (which is in a different city). They told me I could just go to my local library, fill out the original form again, and turn it in there. I would then be considered registered as of today, without having to worry about the mail reaching them today.

The BOE told me I should have gotten a letter letting me know my registration wasn't completed, but I didn't. I mentioned this to the woman at the library who was working the registration desk. She said the latest word they had was that the BOE was so deluged with registrations, they won't be able to get letters back to all those who have problems in their registration. I said, "So that means they'll go to the polls on election day and think they can vote, but they won't be able to?" She said yep, that's what'll happen.

Is there some way Ohioans (or people in any state where this is happening) can get the BOE *ordered* to get those letters out, and to get the secretary of state to give those with problem registrations extra time to correct their registrations? I hate to think of people being left out on election day simply because the BOE was too under-staffed to notify them there was a problem.

____

UPDATE: I talked to someone in the voting section at the Secretary of State's Office:

Someone who's not listed as registered and who didn't get a letter letting them know there's a problem will get a provisional ballot, then they'll have ten days to get the information corrected. Never mind that provisional ballots won't count for much.

The SOS person also verified that they are being buried in registrations. She said she's looking at four tubs of them that arrived today.

[babylonsister]

1. I don't have an answer for you, but I'm recommending this in hopes

someone can provide more info. And thanks for taking your vote so seriously. I feel bad for those that will be surprised come election day, through no fault of their own.

[LiberalHeart]

3. I'll call the SOS office and see if they have an answer.

Also, I'm going on the library lady's word on this. Maybe she's wrong. I did email the BOE person I've been in contract with about this, but haven't heard back yet.

[EFerrari]

2. Didn't Ohio just put in same day registration? n/t

[LiberalHeart]

4. Yes, but it's for one week only. This week.

[EFerrari]

11. I see. Well, your SOS is one of the betters ones. I hope she manages

to work out this problem.

We have to keep reminding folks in targeted states like OH to check their reg no matter what they believe their status is. They have to be proactive because of situations just like the one you described.

[CC]

5. Not sure you can do anything to make them

send out letters sooner but you can write a letter to the editor with your story and warn people to check theirs. Maybe call your local news station, they are always looking for stories. Here they (both news and the elections board) are telling you how to check on your registration and by when so you can make sure everything is ok before you go to vote.

[Warpy]

6. They will be able to vote

but they'll have to use a provisional ballot and those are counted last. What that means is that unless the elections are close, there won't be that big an incentive to count them quickly.

Here in NM's first district, Heather Wilson (R-COW) has had to wait up to two weeks to find out whether or not she's won by the skin of her capped teeth because elections have been close enough to make provisional ballots matter.

We can all vote, in other words. We just can't count on having that vote counted on election night.

[LiberalHeart]

14. But how can they vote even by provisional ballot if they're not registered????

[Warpy]

19. Provisional ballots are checked against things

like phone directories and DMV records. It helps to have current ID and proof of residence when you go in to vote.

[Warpy]

30. Read about provisional ballots, please.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provisional_ballot

[LiberalHeart]

31. Thanks. n/t

[LiberalHeart]

17. I just checked the SOS website. It says your proper registration has to be in by the deadline.

[LiberalHeart]

18. Update: I talked to a real person at the SOS office. You're right.

Someone who's not listed as registered and who didn't get a letter letting them know there's a problem WILL get a provisional ballot, then they'll have ten days to get the information corrected. Whew.

I'll try to update my OP.

[EFerrari]

23. Voting on provisional ballots is NOT as safe as voting on regular

ballots. There seems to be a problem getting them all COUNTED. If anyone can avoid voting that way, they should. It doesn't matter if they tell you it will be counted. It very often DOESN'T happen. fyi.

[mopinko]

25. BIG REASON PROVISIONALS ARE NOT COUNTED-

is that voters do not follow through with the process. if you are, actually, properly registered, your vote will be counted automatically. but if you are not, you need to do whatever the follow-up is in your state. usually requires a trek to the boe.

one reason to vote provisional, if that is your only choice, is that you are then registered for the next election. not that that helps right now.


and dear op-
PLEASE CALL THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN!!!!
let's see what they are made of.

[EFerrari]

26. Good call, Mo'!

[LiberalHeart]

27. I just talked to a former BOE director. Here's his very funny advice....

NEVER trust your vote to morons, which is what you're doing if you let your vote end up as a provisional. You cannot rely BOE employees to get the info corrected. He also said, "You should buy a GPS device, get directions to your BOE, and go there any way you have to -- on foot, by bus, or via elephant or donkey -- to get your registration right before the deadline."

[EFerrari]

28. LOL! Sounds like good advice to me!

:hi:

[Sydnie]

7. Kick and rec in hopes that someone can help you find an answer n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Me too. Someone needs to get this on the national news! n/t

[femmedem]

9. If nothing else they could flood the airwaves with PSA's. n/t

[librechik]

10. The Pukkkes have done this in all the battleground states, at least-

My husband had "Larry" on his SS card and driver's license, and "Lauren" on his birth certificate. This made his 38 year CO voter registration invalid, according to new HAVA (Help America Vote Act.) He is at the Election Commission today to try to get re-registered. The deadline is October 6!

This bill started out as a way to reign in electronic voting. Instead it has been turned into a tool to disenfranchise thousands of Democrats.

[DemReadingDU]

12. What's the website to verify you are registered?

I want to verify I'm there. thanks

[LiberalHeart]

15. Here ya go...

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/voterquery.aspx?page=361

That's just for Ohio. Otherwise, go to your secretary of state's website.

[DemReadingDU]

20. great, thank you!

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

13. Contact the Obama campaign and let them know too

They may already know but, it couldn't hurt to give them a heads up.

[LiberalHeart]

16. Oh brother. Check this out...

I emailed the BOE about this today to see if they have a comment. In addition to the following, I also asked if my local library would be my polling place.

Here's what I wrote:

I am lucky I checked online to see if my registration was okay because I
still haven't gotten a letter telling me it wasn't. The woman at the
library told me the most recent information they have is that the BOE is
so deluged with registrations they won't have time to send letters to
everyone who had a faulty form. That's sad. I would have been very upset
if I had shown up on election day and been unable to vote.

____

The BOE emailed back, ignoring the above (i.e. no comment at all) and simply verified that, yeah, I vote at the library.

[dave123williams]

21. I believe the Straight Talk Express is actually fueled by burning provisional ballots.

[EFerrari]

24. I heard the same thing.

:)

[Spritz57]

22. Now for something completely different!

I just checked the on line link and found out I don't exist. So I hit the link for County information and it doesn't work. As you can imagine, now I'm getting anxious so I found the phone number for the county election office and called them and presto, I'm eligible. I think perhaps it would be better for everyone to simply call their county office since the on line check didn't work for me. WHEW!:party:

[LiberalHeart]

29. I thought it didn't work when actually it did....Did you check below the blanks?

The response is kinda hidden ... at first glance it looks like you're just back at the search window. You have to scroll down. The message is there whether you are or aren't properly registered. If you aren't, it'll tell you there's no info. If you are, it'll verify it.

[Spritz57]

35. Thanks, it told me there was no information on me in the system,

thank goodness I am. Ain't technology grand?

[Qutzupalotl]

32. Check my sig line for a nifty link to verify your registration

or sign up if you're not registered.

http://www.voteforchange.com/

[alstephenson]

34. Thanks for the link.

I just ordered my early voting ballot.

[sakabatou]

33. Just more ways of keeping people from voting

IMO