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Tuesday, Nov. 6, is Election Day. Here’s what you need to know

Avondale Estates campaign coverage D'ish Decatur Food Kirkwood and East Lake Metro ATL Tucker

Tuesday, Nov. 6, is Election Day. Here’s what you need to know

FILE PHOTO USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES: (left to right) Paige Gagnon, 20, and her mom, Keshley Phillips, voted at Winnona Park Elementary School on November 8, 2016.
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(left to right) Paige Gagnon, 20, and her mom, Keshley Phillips, voted at Winnona Park Elementary School on November 8, 2016. File photo

The big day has finally arrived and if you aren’t one of the 2 million Georgia voters who have already cast your ballot in the midterm elections, Tuesday, Nov. 6, is your last chance to vote.

If you’re planning on heading to the polls tomorrow (you should plan on it), here’s what you need to know:

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– Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you’re still in line when the polls close, you must be allowed to vote, according to Ballotpedia.

– To find your polling place and see your sample ballot, visit the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page by clicking here. You must enter your first initial, last name, select the county you live in and enter your birthday under the “MVP Login” section to see your polling place and sample ballot.

– If you are told you are unable to vote when you arrive at your polling location, you have the option of casting a provisional ballot. To learn more about casting provisional ballots, click here.

– People who wish to vote will need to bring one of the following forms of identification, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office:

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– Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

– A Georgia Driver’s License, even if expired

– Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state

– Valid U.S. passport ID

– Valid U.S. military photo ID

– Valid tribal photo ID

– Need a ride? Ride sharing services Uber and Lyft are offering free and discounted rides to the polls. To learn more about how to take advantage of those promotions, click here.

– Need more information about the ballot questions you’ll be deciding this year? Click here.

– Want to learn more about the candidates? Click here.

– Do you think Voting Rights laws are being violated? The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently announced it will be monitoring the election.

Here’s the full press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office which includes a number you can call to report violations of federal voting rights or suspected cases of voter fraud. The section describing what constitutes a violation of voting rights and voter fraud is highlighted.

U.S. ATTORNEY PAK ANNOUNCES ELECTION MONITORING

IN CONJUNCTION WITH NATIONWIDE ELECTION DAY PROGRAM

ATLANTA –The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung J. “BJay” Pak, announces that Assistant U.S. Attorney(AUSA) William Toliver will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election on November 6, 2018.  AUSA William Toliver has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO), and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “On election day, federal observers will be located at certain polling locations throughout the Northern District of Georgia, including Fulton and Gwinnett Counties, to monitor voting procedures. Free and fair elections depend on the cooperation of the American electorate.  It is imperative that those who have specific information about potential discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and promotes public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA William Toliver will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number (404) 581-6001.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (404) 216-3000.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s VotingSection in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at:

http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php

– Looking for something to do after polls close? Several local restaurants, including Twain’s, Thinking Man, The Imperial and The Marlay House are inviting the public to watch the results as they roll in Tuesday evening.

Please vote on Nov. 6.

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