Indianz.Com > News > Cronkite News: Voter intimidation an issue during historic election cycle
Voters, officials prepare for possible intimidation at the polls
Monday, November 2, 2020
Cronkite News
Just days before Election Day, elections officials are on alert for voter intimidation – which can range from threatening emails to campaigning too close to a polling location to “ostentatious display” of weapons – and working to educate voters about their rights and how to respond.
Intimidation is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in lawsuits, fines or imprisonment.
In Arizona specifically, it is a misdemeanor “to intimidate any person for voting for a candidate, for refraining from voting or to vote against another candidate,” said Amy Marshak, senior counsel at Georgetown Law’s
Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.

Zack Czajkowski, the political director for the Lincoln Project , said voters should be aware of options to report intimidation to help Americans trust in the election process. “We live in a scary time right now, and I think there are real questions surrounding the integrity of the election. That’s not a good thing for our democracy,” said Czajkowski, whose group of former Republicans opposes the reelection of President Donald Trump. The Lincoln Project is also encouraging voters to report incidents through SeeSay2020, a platform that maps and tracks reports submitted by voters and verified by a team of volunteers. In the 2018 midterm elections, voters reported 1,133 incidents of intimidation on SeeSay, with 623 of those validated by officials. Other forms of voter intimidation are more subtle. Arizona prohibits taking photos or videos inside the 75-foot radius around a polling place and can limit photographers beyond that distance if taking photos or videos has “an intimidating effect” and is done “in an aggressive, threatening, or harassing way.”Election Day is 4 days away! Determine your eligibility and make a plan for casting your ballot. Share your voice this election! #NativeVote pic.twitter.com/8wj2TLzfVO
— Native Vote (@nativevote) October 30, 2020

Note: This story originally appeared on Cronkite News. It is published via a Creative Commons license. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
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