2010 Wyoming Voter Empowerment Card
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with more than 500,000 members dedicated to defending the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the Constitution and our nation's civil rights laws. The ACLU doesn't endorse or oppose any candidate or party, but we believe that no civil right is more important in our democracy than the right to vote.
This card is designed to help you protect your own right to vote. Keep it handy, and take it with you to the polls on Election Day.
QUICK TIPS FOR VOTING:
• Check your voter registration status before the election.
• Vote before Election Day, using early voting or absentee voting.
• If you plan to vote at the polls, locate your polling place at least 30 days before the election.
• Vote early in the day to avoid the last-minute rush.
• Bring some form of identification even if it's not required.
• Read all instructions carefully.
• Ask for help if you need it.
• Take your time. You have up to ten minutes to complete your ballot, or longer if all of the voting booths aren't occupied. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-113(b).
WHO CAN VOTE
Can I vote in Wyoming?
• You can vote in the November 2 election if you register to vote by Tuesday, November 2, 2010.
• You can register if you meet all of the following qualifications:
(1) you are a U.S. citizen;
(2) you are a Wyoming resident;
(3) you are at least 18 years old on Election Day;
(4) you have had your voting rights restored following any felony conviction; and
(5) you are not currently adjudicated by a court to be mentally incompetent.
What if I'm a student?
• You can register to vote at whatever address you regard as your principal place of residence. This can be your school address or your home address.
What if I've been convicted of a crime?
• If you were convicted of a misdemeanor, you can vote, but you have to vote by absentee ballot if you're still in jail.
• If you were convicted of a felony , you cannot vote unless you have had your voting rights restored.
• If you have only one non-violent felony conviction and five years have passed since the completion of your sentence (including probation and parole), you can apply to the Board of Parole to have your rights restored. The application is available at:
http://felonvoting.procon.org/sourcefiles/WyomingRestorationForm.pdf
• If you have more than one non-violent or any violent felony convictions, and five years have passed since the completion of your sentence (including probation and parole), you may apply to the Governor to have your voting rights restored.
What if I'm homeless?
• You don't need a home to register, but you do have to identify a place of residence (which can be a street corner, a park, a shelter, or any other place where you usually stay).
REGISTRATION
How do I register?
• You can register to vote:
(1) in person, by filling out a voter registration form at your county clerk's office;
(2) by mail, by filling out a mail-in voter registration form, signing a voter registration form in front of a notary public, and mailing it your county clerk; or
(3) on election day at your polling place.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
When is Election Day?
• Tuesday, November 2.
When are the polls open?
• Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• You have the right to vote if you're in line or inside your polling place when the polls close. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-117.
Can I get time off from work to vote?
• Maybe. If your work schedule would prevent you from voting in person while the polls are open, you have the right to take up to one hour off, with pay, in order to vote. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-2-111.
Where do I vote?
• You have to vote at the polling place for the address where you live.
• To find out where your polling place is, you can call your county clerk's office or look up your polling place online at http://soswy.state.wy.us/Elections/PollPlaceLookup.aspx
Can I get a ballot in my native language?
• Election materials in Wyoming are available in English only, but you have the right to bring an interpreter with you to the polls or to get assistance in your language from anyone you choose, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union.
Can I take election materials with me into the polling place?
• Yes. You can take written or printed election materials with you as long as they are for your own use in casting your ballot. Examples include a sample ballot, a voter guide, and this document. You're not allowed to show or distribute these materials to anyone else within 100 yards of your polling place, and you may not wear campaign clothing, stickers, or buttons in your polling place unless you cover them up. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-26-113.
What if I need help in the voting booth?
• If you need help because of a physical disability or because you can't read the ballot, tell a poll worker when you get to your polling place. You have the right to vote on an accessible voting machine. You also have the right to have anyone you choose assist you in the voting booth, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-113.
• If you need instructions on how to use the voting equipment, ask a poll worker for help BEFORE you enter the voting booth. Poll workers may not remain in the booth after you have entered. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-109.
VOTING EARLY
Can I vote before Election Day?
• Yes, any registered voter can vote before Election Day by going to your county clerk's office by November 1 and casting an absentee ballot. You can also register to vote AND vote immediately at your county clerk's office between October 5 and November 1.
• If you want your ballot to be mailed to you, you must submit an application early enough for the clerk to send it to you, for you to send it back to the clerk, and for the clerk to receive an process it before 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. If your application for an absentee ballot is approved, the ballot will be mailed to you.
VOTER ID
Do I have to show ID?
• Probably not. Most voters won't need to show ID at all. You only need ID if:
(1) if you register to vote at the polls on election day; or
(2) you're a first-time voter in Wyoming, you registered by mail, and you didn't provide a copy of your identification during the registration process. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-3-118.
• As a precaution, it's always a good idea to bring ID if you have one.
What are the accepted forms of ID?
• Accepted forms of ID for first-time Wyoming voters who registered by mail include:
(1) a current valid photo ID; a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that shows your name and address. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-3-118(b).
• Accepted forms of ID if you register on election day at your polling place include:
(2) a driver's license;
(3) an ID card issued by a local, state, or federal agency;
(4) a U.S. passport;
(5) a school ID;
(6) a military ID; or two of the following: certificate of U.S. citizenship, certificate of naturalization, draft record; voter registration card from another state or county; original or certified copy of a birth certificate bearing an official seal, certification of birth abroad issued by the Department of State, of any other form of identification issued by an official agency. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-3-103(a), 22-3-104.
What if I don't have any ID?
• Ask for a provisional ballot. You have the right to vote by provisional ballot, but your ballot won't be counted unless you bring your ID and proof of eligibility to vote to the county clerk by the close of business on November 3. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-15-105.
PROBLEMS AT THE POLLS
What if I'm not on the voter list?
• First, ask a poll worker to check the list again and to confirm that you're at the right polling place for your address.
• If you're at the right polling place but your name isn't on the voter list, ask for a voter registration application. You have the right to register and vote immediately at the polls. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-3-104.
What if I go to the wrong polling place?
• Go to the right polling place. You can ask a poll worker to help you find the polling place where you're registered. You can also call your county clerk's office to find out where to vote.
• If you can't figure out where you're registered, go to the polling place that you think is most likely to be the right one for your address and ask for a provisional ballot. You have the right to cast a provisional ballot even if you're not sure that you're at the right polling place.
What if someone challenges my right to vote?
• If you bring an accepted form of ID with your current address, you may be able to resolve the challenge at the polling place and cast a regular ballot.
• If you can't resolve the challenge, ask for a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot won't be counted unless you bring your ID and proof of eligibility to vote to the county clerk by the close of business on November 3. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 22-15-105.
What if someone tries to intimidate or harass me?
• Tell a poll worker right away. If the poll worker is the problem, tell a poll watcher, call your county clerk's office, call one of the election hotline numbers listed at the end of this card, or make a complaint online at http://www.votingrights.org.
Utah Lieutenant Governor: (800) 995-VOTE
U.S. Department of Justice: (800) 253-3931
ACLU Voting Rights Project: (877) 523-2792 / www.votingrights.org
ACLU of Wyoming: (307) 637-4565
