Do Not Be Intimidated By Irresponsible & Dangerous Talk of "Rigged Elections" & "Voter Fraud"

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For Release: Wednesday - November 2, 2016

There has been far too much irresponsible and dangerous (to democracy) talk about "rigged elections" and voter fraud on the part of Donald Trump and his allies.

Let us be clear.

There are no rigged elections in the United States, and voter fraud is virtually non-existent. The "Trump talk" is just that – talk. It is designed to incite and inflame, and to try to intimidate voters from exercising their fundamental right as a citizen to cast a ballot for the candidates of their choice.

In recent weeks, there has been increasing fear that partisans seeking to disrupt and intimidate voters may show up at polling places to try to discourage voters in some areas from casting ballots. But as Andrea Kaminski, the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin recently wrote:

Wisconsin voters should not be intimidated because we have safeguards to prevent observers from disrupting the voting process. In our state, election observers must sign in with their name, address and affiliation, if any. They may not wear buttons or clothing referring to a candidate or party. They must stay in a designated area, and they may not speak directly to voters, photograph voters or poll lists, or interfere with the voting process. If they have a concern, they need to address it with the chief inspector, and if they violate these rules, the chief can have them removed.

Any observer who wants to challenge a person’s right to vote will have to state under oath what specific information they have indicating the individual is not qualified to vote. 'She looks too young' or 'his name sounds foreign' are not acceptable charges.

This is very sound advice. Do not be intimidated and do not allow anyone to discourage you from voting. And if you have any problem whatsoever at your polling place, talk to the chief inspector there and/or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE for assistance.

Election Protection’s highly-trained legal volunteers are available to assist voters with any questions or problems, no matter how simple or complex. Voters may call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) toll-free; Spanish-speaking voters may seek assistance through the 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682) hotline.



Please share this information with everyone you know, and vote! To find out where your polling place is go here.

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck

608/256-2686 (office)
608/512-9363 (cell)


For Voting Information, contact:

Sandra Miller
Director of Information Services & Outreach
608/658-2109
smiller@commoncause.org

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
608/256-2686

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