Election Day: Legal Rights and Reporting Procedures¶
This page sets out voter rights at the polling place on election day, documentation practices relevant to subsequent legal action, and the contact information for organizations that receive reports of suspected violations.
Preparation¶
- Polling location. A voter's polling location can be confirmed at vote.org/polling-place-locator or through the applicable state or county election office.
- State voter identification requirements. Requirements vary by state. A summary is available at vote.org/voter-id-laws.
- Documentation capability. A charged mobile device with a camera is useful for documenting any suspected violation.
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Contact numbers.
Contact Number Election Protection Hotline (English) 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) Election Protection Hotline (Spanish) 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) Election Protection Hotline (Asian languages) 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) Election Protection Hotline (Arabic) 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) -
Local election board. The county or municipal election board's contact information is available through the applicable Secretary of State's website.
- Voter rights. A summary of federal and state voter rights is set out at Voter Rights Under Federal and State Law.
If Armed Federal Personnel Are Present at a Polling Place¶
1. Right to vote¶
The right to cast a ballot is protected by federal statute and by state law. A voter may remain in line and cast a ballot.
2. Documentation¶
From a distance consistent with the voter's safety, the following information is relevant to any subsequent legal action and should be recorded:
| Item | Legal relevance |
|---|---|
| Number of personnel present | Scale of the conduct at issue |
| Whether personnel are armed; description of weapons or tactical equipment | Directly relevant to 18 U.S.C. § 592 ("troops or armed men") |
| Identifying agency (uniforms, badges, vehicle markings) | Identifies the federal actor under 18 U.S.C. § 592 |
| Position relative to the polling place (entrance, interior, parking area, distance) | Relevant to the statutory language "at any place where an election is held" |
| Interaction with voters (questioning, identification checks) | Relevant to 52 U.S.C. § 10307(b) intimidation analysis |
| Time and location | Required for any legal filing |
Photographs and video, where taken from a safe distance, provide contemporaneous documentation of the conduct.
3. Reporting¶
Reports may be made to the following recipients:
- Election Protection Hotline — 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). The hotline is staffed by attorneys and trained volunteers during federal elections.
- Local election official — The official or office responsible for the polling place. Local election officials have authority over the conduct of the election at the location.
- State Secretary of State's office — The chief state election official. Election-day contact information is included in each state guide.
4. Conduct to avoid¶
- Physical confrontation with federal personnel presents safety risks and may give rise to independent legal consequences. Documentation and reporting are the appropriate responses.
- Leaving the polling place without casting a ballot forfeits the voter's right to vote in that election.
5. Poll workers¶
Poll workers facing federal personnel at a polling place should observe the following:
- Chain of command. In a municipality that has adopted a polling place protection ordinance, local law-enforcement personnel assigned to the polling place operate under the direction of the precinct election judge and city clerk.
- Information to voters. Poll workers may inform voters in line that they retain the right to vote.
- Official reporting. The presence of federal personnel should be reported through the election office's official reporting channels.
Reporting Directory¶
National Hotlines¶
| Organization | Phone | Services |
|---|---|---|
| Election Protection (Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) | 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) | Real-time legal guidance, volunteer dispatch, incident documentation |
| Election Protection — Spanish | 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) | Same services in Spanish |
| Election Protection — Asian languages | 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) | Same services in Asian languages |
| Election Protection — Arabic | 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) | Same services in Arabic |
National Organizations¶
| Organization | Services |
|---|---|
| American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting) | Know Your Rights materials; civil-rights litigation |
| Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (lawyerscommittee.org) | Operates Election Protection; legal advocacy |
| Common Cause (commoncause.org) | Nonpartisan election monitoring |
| League of Women Voters (lwv.org) | Voter education; election observation |
| NAACP (naacp.org) | Civil-rights advocacy; voter protection |
Verification
Hotline numbers should be verified for the 2026 election cycle. Current information is maintained at 866ourvote.org. State-specific contacts are included in each state guide.
State Contacts¶
Each state guide contains contact information for relevant state-level organizations and for the state Secretary of State's office.
Poll Watchers and Election Observers¶
Poll watchers are persons authorized by a candidate, political party, or nonpartisan organization to observe the conduct of the election. State law establishes the requirements for designation as a poll watcher, the activities permissible by a poll watcher, and the applicable training and credentialing requirements.
Permissible and impermissible conduct¶
| Permissible conduct | Impermissible conduct |
|---|---|
| Observation of the voting process from a designated area | Interaction with voters or interference with voting |
| Notetaking regarding observed conduct | Challenging voter eligibility (state law dependent) |
| Reports of irregularities to election officials | Handling ballots, voting machines, or election materials |
| Observation of ballot counting (state law dependent) | Campaigning; display of campaign materials |
| Reports to the authorizing organization | Photography of voters or ballots (state law dependent) |
The applicable state guide identifies the state's poll watcher credentialing process and the statutes governing poll watcher conduct.
Post-Election¶
- Reporting. Reports of observed conduct — including reports of no federal-personnel presence — may be submitted to the Election Protection hotline and to local election protection organizations.
- Preservation of documentation. Photographs, video, and written notes should be preserved in their original format, with metadata intact, for potential use in litigation.
- Transmission to legal and research institutions. Organizations identified in each state guide receive documentation for use in litigation, legislative analysis, and academic research.