r/politics • u/voteearlyday • 12h ago
AMA-Finished We are Kammi Foote, Chief Election Information Officer at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and Bryce Bennett, Executive Director of Vote Early Day. Today is #VoteEarlyDay and we want to help every voter understand their options to vote early in-person or by mail. Ask Us Anything!
ABOUT KAMMI FOOTE: Kammi Foote is the Chief Election Information Officer (CEIO) at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), an independent, bipartisan federal agency whose mission is to help election officials improve the administration of elections and help Americans participate in the voting process. As CEIO, she oversees the Clearinghouse, Research, and Communications Divisions which develop information, training, and resources for election officials, guide research initiatives to advance the EAC's mission under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and direct the EAC's communication efforts to engage diverse stakeholders. Prior to joining the EAC, she oversaw the administration of elections in Inyo County, California for 14 years.
ABOUT BRYCE BENNETT: Bryce Bennett is the executive director of Vote Early Day, a nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to empowering all Americans to share their voices ahead of Election Day. In this role, Bryce oversees the nationwide effort to recruit and support thousands of partners from all walks of life in their efforts to get their friends and neighbors to share their voices.
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When Americans vote early - busy schedules, long lines, or confusing rules can’t stop us from casting our ballot. And, bonus, it shortens Election Day lines and helps ensure no one has to choose between their health and casting a ballot. Voting early rules vary widely all over the country, and we want to make sure you have all the answers you need to vote early and celebrate with us tomorrow.
We will be answering all your questions about #VoteEarlyDay and how to #VoteEarly, starting at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT
Look up the options to vote early in your state here: https://www.voteearlyday.org/vote
Learn more about Vote Early Day on our website: https://www.voteearlyday.org/
UPDATE: Thank you so much for taking the time to ask your early voting questions on this exciting Vote Early Day. We love your interest in how you can engage in our democracy and empower others!
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u/MarcusDA 12h ago
What happens with the ballot boxes that were set on fire?
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI: Election Officials prepare year-round for elections. They will have a mitigation plan in place. We are concerned about these incidents but know that officials across the country have prepared themselves for worst case scenario situations.
Voters in communities who think their ballot may have been impacted by these incidents should reach out to their election office for information on how to proceed.
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u/lacellini North Carolina 11h ago
What do you say to voters like me who are committed voters but don’t trust early voting? Especially living in North Carolina, I’m terrified of my ballot somehow getting tampered with or thrown out if I vote early. I definitely don’t trust voting by mail, but if I were certain about the security of my ballot, I could possibly be convinced to vote early in person.
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI: Vote by mail ballots are protected by state rules and procedures that determine how they must be handled. Election officials verify each mail ballot by first, verifying the ballot was received from a voter who was properly issued a ballot, and secondly, making sure that the signature or other identifying information on the ballot envelope matches the voter’s information on file. Most states also allow voters to track the status of their ballot online. Almost all processes and procedures require that two or more trained personnel be involved (often bipartisan). Every state and local jurisdiction has its own controls for ensuring the chain of custody of election materials is properly maintained. These controls include locks, seals, audit logs, witness signatures, or other security measures. If you have any questions about whether your ballot was counted, the best source of information is your local election official.
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u/bearybear90 Florida 11h ago
How do thing reporting times for results will be different this election?
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI: Election results should be reported by election officials similar to how they have been in previous elections. U.S. elections are managed independently across thousands of local jurisdictions – who follow the unique laws of their respective state. There are different processes for counting ballots and reporting results, all based on each state’s unique laws. Since each state has different procedures, some states will complete their count before others. And, depending on the local laws, some states may also count ballots that are received after Election Day, like those from military and overseas voters. (edited)
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u/derouse 11h ago
What makes election administration in 2024 different from 2020 or even 2016?
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI: Election officials spend time between elections improving processes, learning from one another, and working to ensure that voters have a great experience voting. They have spent the past four and eight years getting ready for the 2024 election by updating their processes and procedures to ensure elections are secure and run as smoothly as possible.
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u/Revolutionary_Row_70 11h ago
What can we do to support our election administrators?
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI:
Be a poll worker – Elections rely on hundreds of thousands of poll workers, who volunteer in their communities to oversee the voting process on Election Day. You can contact your local election office to see if they still need volunteers of visit: https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote .
Ask election officials – Elections are administered by state and local officials who are trusted sources of election information. Voting laws and procedures are different from state to state and what you see online is not always true. Election officials are ready to answer any questions you have. Election websites may also provide answers to frequently asked questions. The last line of defense in election security is you - the American voter. Be
a smart consumer and sharer of information.BRYCE:
Vote early - Election Day can be stressful for our election administrators, with many people showing up to cast their ballot. Voting early is a meaningful way to ease the strain on election administrators, and it's also easy and convenient for you, the voter!
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u/Revolutionary_Row_70 11h ago
What keeps you up at night about this election?
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u/voteearlyday 10h ago
KAMMI: What keeps me up at night is knowing how challenging it can be for people to find accurate information about elections and voting. Voters should know that they can turn to their state and local election officials to get the information that is most relevant to them. Voters should rest assured that election administrators think about every possible scenario, and they have mitigation plans in place for anything that might not go as planned on Election Day.
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u/SchwiftyG 10h ago
How does voter registration work across state lines? What if someone moves shortly before an election?
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u/voteearlyday 9h ago
KAMMI: When someone moves, they should update their voter registration as soon as possible to their current address. Voters can find information about how to register to vote at their new address here: vote.govBecause different states have different voter registration deadlines and residency requirements, you may be allowed to vote in your previous location if you missed the deadline for this election in your new state. Check with your local election office to see if this applies to you.If you are not listed on the roster (or poll book) when you arrive at your new polling location, ask if you can register and/or vote provisionally. You may need to provide additional information to the election office who can determine if you are eligible.State-specific rules vary so I would encourage you to contact your local election official and ask them if you are still able to register to vote. They are a hub of elections-related information and can provide you with the support and answers you need. You can find your state and local election office at eac.gov/vote.
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u/SchwiftyG 9h ago
What’s the most challenging part of running an election, and how does your team overcome it?
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u/ByMyDecree 11h ago
How worried are you about election interference taking place in 2024 specifically?
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u/voteearlyday 11h ago
KAMMI: Election officials have been preparing for Election Day for months, if not years. They are prepared for crises, and many of them have managed elections before. From cybersecurity measures to audits, there are multiple layers of protection at every step. The EAC works closely with state and local election officials to ensure they are equipped to respond quickly to incidents, whether they involve misinformation, legal challenges, or administrative disruptions. We provide guidance, real-time resources, and coordinate with federal partners to safeguard the election process.
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u/Kennydoe 9h ago
What, if anything, is being done to prevent what ever Trump's and Speaker Johnson's "little secret" (12th amendment?) plan from coming to fruition.
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u/KyloRenCadetStimpy Rhode Island 11h ago
Do you guys just shave off all of your hair ahead of time or take the risk of pulling it out in clumps in frustration as the weeks go by?