If you plan to vote in the upcoming primaries in Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania here is a list of things you should do to make certain you can vote and that your vote will be counted.
General Info on Checking Your Registration Status, Party Affiliation and Polling Place
First off, because of reports of potential voter purging in New York and Pennsylvania (similar to what occurred in Arizona) registered voters in all the upcoming primaries should confirm that they are registered, and in states with closed primaries (New York and Pennsylvania) check that your registration indicates your party affiliation is Democrat.
If the information is correct, print a copy of your confirmation or a screenshot as proof to take with you to the polls on election day. Bring a friend and a phone that can record video. Be prepared to wait, if necessary to ensure you are allowed to vote. Don’t take no for an answer
Now let’s look at the specific resources available to ensure your right to vote in each state.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is an open primary state.
Voter registration.
Wisconsinites who wish to register … can do so until April 1, 2016 by bringing proof of residency to the office of their municipal clerk. You can also register at your polling place on election day by bringing proof of residency and certifying that you've been a resident of Wisconsin for 28 days.
Proof of residency. Here is the official site which provides you with the information as to what constitutes proper proof of residency in Wisconsin.
A short list of documents that can be used to show proof of residency include, without limitation, “a current utility bill, lease, bank statement or other official government document showing the voter’s name and current address. The document can be paper or on an electronic device like a smartphone or tablet.” All proof of residence documents must include your name and address.
Voter registration status. To check your voter status in Wisconsin go to My Vote Wisconsin or check with your local municipal clerk’s office.
Find Your Polling Place. The My Vote Wisconsin site can also be used to find your correct polling place.
You can also call the Toll-Free Voter Help Line: 1-866-VOTE-WIS (U.S. Only) or 1-866-868-3947.
A good resource overall is this Wisconsin Accountability Board’s webpage “Top Ten Things Wisconsin Voters Need to Know for the April 5 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Primary.”
New York
Voter Registration Status and Polling Place.
To check your voter status in NY, first go to The New York State Bord of Elections Page and click on your county on their county map to find your local Board of Elections information. For example, I live in Monroe County, so I clicked on Monroe on the map and the following page wit all the information I need to contact my local Board of elections to check my registration status and find my polling place:
If you are not already registered, you are out of luck.
What to do if you were purged from the voting roll, or your party affiliation was changed.
Should you find that your name is not included as a registered voter or your party affiliation has been changed since the last election in which you voted, here are some things to do.
1. Contact the New York State Attorney General’s Office to report the purging of your name.
2. If you recently registered to vote, check to see if you have a copy of the letter sent by your local Board of Elections. Then take it down to their office and demand to be reinstated. Here is an example of the type of letter you might have received:
3. Go to your local Board of Elections and ask them “Can you please retrieve my voting record and print it for me?” Make sure you have proof of residency with you, if their records show that you indeed vote in the last Presidential election as a Democrat.
Pennsylvania
Voter Registration Status and Polling Place.
To check your voter registration in Pennsylvania, go to this PA Department of State webpage ,“FIND VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS” and fill in all the required information.
You can aslo search the following site, votesPA to find contact information for your county’s election and voter registration officials.
To find your polling place, please check this PA Department of State webpage — Find your Polling Place.
What to do if you were purged from the voting roll, or your party affiliation was changed.
Again, your options are limited. But I would, again, recommend you contact the PA Attorney General’s office.
Also: If you have a voter registration card or driver’s license or other evidence of your identity and address, go to your county’s Voter Registration Office, and ask for them to retrieve your voting record and print it out for you.
Don’t Take Your Right to Vote for Granted
Please take the actions I recommend above to ensure that you will be able to vote in your state’s upcoming Democratic primary.
Thank you.