Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos
Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos
Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos
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gloSSary<br />
Caging – <strong>the</strong> practice of compiling a list of voters<br />
based on returned mail for <strong>the</strong> purpose of challenging<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir eligibility to vote. A caging list is compiled by<br />
conducting a mass-mailing and collecting <strong>the</strong> names<br />
of voters where <strong>the</strong> mail was returned. Lists may also<br />
be built by comparing different d<strong>at</strong>abases. Although<br />
many caging lists contain inaccuracies or are based<br />
on unreliable d<strong>at</strong>a, <strong>the</strong> list is often used to purge<br />
voters from registr<strong>at</strong>ion rolls, or to challenge voters’<br />
eligibility.<br />
Challenge – a formal assertion th<strong>at</strong> a person is<br />
not eligible to vote. Depending on <strong>the</strong> st<strong>at</strong>e, challenges<br />
may be made during a pre-election period or made in<br />
person on Election Day. St<strong>at</strong>es vary in terms of who<br />
may challenge a voter’s eligibility and <strong>the</strong> process for<br />
determining a voter’s eligibility once it is challenged.<br />
The potential for abusing voter challenges is high,<br />
particularly where organized groups seek electoral<br />
gain.<br />
Challenger – anyone who challenges a voter’s<br />
eligibility to vote, whe<strong>the</strong>r on or before Election<br />
Day. Many st<strong>at</strong>es allow any registered voter in <strong>the</strong><br />
appropri<strong>at</strong>e jurisdiction to serve as a challenger,<br />
whereas o<strong>the</strong>r st<strong>at</strong>es have specific criteria and an<br />
official process for design<strong>at</strong>ing challengers.<br />
DeCePtive PraCtiCes – <strong>the</strong> intentional<br />
dissemin<strong>at</strong>ion of false or misleading inform<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
about <strong>the</strong> voting process in order to prevent an eligible<br />
voter from casting a ballot, such as by providing<br />
misinform<strong>at</strong>ion about when or where to vote.<br />
eleCtioneering – <strong>the</strong> act of campaigning for<br />
a particular candid<strong>at</strong>e, issue, or party. Most st<strong>at</strong>es<br />
prohibit electioneering on Election Day in <strong>the</strong> area near<br />
<strong>the</strong> entrance to <strong>the</strong> polling place.<br />
Poll w<strong>at</strong>Cher – a person, generally appointed by<br />
a candid<strong>at</strong>e or a political party, authorized to observe<br />
<strong>the</strong> implement<strong>at</strong>ion of Election Day procedures <strong>at</strong> a<br />
polling place. In some jurisdictions, poll w<strong>at</strong>chers are<br />
referred to as poll monitors or observers. St<strong>at</strong>es have<br />
different rules governing wh<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong>se individuals can<br />
and can’t do inside <strong>the</strong> polling place.<br />
Provisional <strong>Ballot</strong> – a ballot used to record<br />
a vote when election officials cannot determine a<br />
voter’s eligibility or qualific<strong>at</strong>ions to vote on Election<br />
Day. A provisional ballot will be counted only if <strong>the</strong><br />
voter’s eligibility or qualific<strong>at</strong>ions are verified within a<br />
prescribed time after Election Day, through a process<br />
th<strong>at</strong> may vary from st<strong>at</strong>e to st<strong>at</strong>e. In some st<strong>at</strong>es,<br />
individuals who are challenged on Election Day may be<br />
required to use provisional ballots. Provisional ballots<br />
often are not counted.<br />
Purging – when done properly, purging is <strong>the</strong><br />
process of removing dead or ineligible voters from<br />
<strong>the</strong> voter roll so as to comply with <strong>the</strong> N<strong>at</strong>ional Voter<br />
Registr<strong>at</strong>ion Act (NVRA). Sometimes, purging leads<br />
to eligible voters being improperly removed from <strong>the</strong><br />
registr<strong>at</strong>ion rolls, for instance by using caging lists to<br />
remove names based on flawed d<strong>at</strong>a and inaccur<strong>at</strong>e<br />
procedures.<br />
voter intimiD<strong>at</strong>ion – <strong>the</strong> use of thre<strong>at</strong>s,<br />
coercion, harassment or o<strong>the</strong>r improper tactics<br />
to interfere with <strong>the</strong> free exercise of <strong>the</strong> right to<br />
vote. Violence or <strong>the</strong> thre<strong>at</strong> of violence is universally<br />
recognized as illegal forms of voter intimid<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
There are significant differences across st<strong>at</strong>es as to<br />
which forms of non-physical voter confront<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
and challenges rise to <strong>the</strong> level of intimid<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
or are o<strong>the</strong>rwise unlawful. Many st<strong>at</strong>es prohibit<br />
priv<strong>at</strong>e citizens or poll w<strong>at</strong>chers from confronting<br />
or challenging voters within <strong>the</strong> polling place and/<br />
or making video, audio, and photographic recordings<br />
of voters within or around <strong>the</strong> polling place, or, more<br />
generally, from interfering with <strong>the</strong> proper conduct of<br />
<strong>the</strong> election.<br />
September 2012 | <strong>Bullies</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Ballot</strong> <strong>Box</strong> • 3