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Everyone enjoys a just-for-fun quiz. Here is one from EIPCa to test your voter rights general knowledge.
We’ve provided the answers for you too. Have fun and vote smart!
Answer True or False
According to California and/or Federal Election Law, or County Procedure:
1. Dropping your ballot off in a sealed envelope at a polling location or the Elections Office is voting in person.
2. Voters must show ID to cast a ballot.
3. Voters can vote at any polling place in the state.
4. Voters must take an oath before they can receive physical or language assistance from another adult.
5. Voters in California must vote by mail, or with machine assistance at the polling place.
6. Provisional and Conditional ballots will be counted on Election Day.
7. Election workers are required to be bilingual.
8. Polling booths may be in a separate room from the check-in table.
9. Voters may share a voting booth with a family member.
10. Election workers should check each marked ballot before it is cast in order to be sure that the voter has not made an error.
11. Voters who make a mistake on their ballot are entitled to a “do-over.”
12. Voters not on the precinct list or electronic poll book are entitled to vote with a provisional ballot.
13. Provisional ballots are not counted.
14. Vote-by-mail voters who damaged, lost or did not receive their ballot are entitled to cast a provisional ballot on Election Day.
15. Vote-by-mail voters may turn their ballot in on Election Day to any polling place in the state.
16. Vote-by mail voters may surrender their ballot at any polling place and be given a regular ballot.
17. Any person may submit an unlimited number of vote-by-mail ballot for other voters.
18. Voters may not bring children into the voting booth with them.
19. Voters may not wear or display any campaign paraphernalia within 100-feet of any polling place, including a ballot drop box.
20. Voters may not discuss ballot issues within 100-feet of any polling place or ballot drop box.
21. Voters may take pictures in the polling place.
22. Voters who arrive at the polls after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day may not vote in person, but they may still hand in their vote-by-mail ballot.
23. Citizens and foreign observers may observe the polling place only during open hours as long as they don’t interfere with the process.
24. Citizens may not question the way the election is being run because that would interfere with the process.
25. Provisional ballots are not counted unless needed.
26. A voter may gather up vote-by-mail ballots from friends and neighbors and drop them off at the polls for them.
27. The lead official at the polling place is responsible to verify that the ballot box is empty at the beginning of the voting day.
28. Eligible people who are not registered to vote may register at the polling and vote.
29. Voters may make changes to their registration at the moment of voting.
30. Voters may receive unrestricted assistance in casting their ballot.
31. California citizens have the right to observe all election processes, be close enough to see and hear, to ask questions and get answers, and in some circumstances challenge procedures that appear unlawful.
32. Once the election is “called” on election night, the election is final.
Answers:
1. Dropping your ballot off in a sealed envelope at a polling location or the Elections Office is voting in person.
a. FALSE. Voting in person is done by entering a polling location and casting a same-day ballot that is NOT in a mailing envelope. (Provisional and Conditional ballots are in envelopes but are not mailed and are still considered voting in person)
2. Voters must show ID to cast a ballot.
a. FALSE. The exception is a first-time voter in a federal election who registered without providing an ID or SS#. Such voters will be notified ahead of time of their ID requirement.
3. Voters can vote at any polling place in the state.
a. FALSE. Voters must vote in the county in which they are registered. In Voters Choice Act counties and some others, voters may vote at any polling location within their county. In traditional counties, voters may vote outside their own precinct but must vote provisionally.
However, voters may turn in their vote by mail ballot in its sealed envelope anywhere in the state.
4. Voters must take an oath before they can receive physical or language assistance from another adult.
a. FALSE. The legislature has removed this protection, making voter intimidation easier.
5. Voters in California must vote by mail, or with machine assistance at the polling place.
a. FALSE. Voters may now vote in person with the paper ballot they were mailed by carrying it in to a polling place, checking in and then depositing that ballot WITHOUT THE ENVELOPE into the scanner or ballot box. This avoids the QR code of the machine-cast ballot and excessive handling of the ballot cast in the envelope.
There are some counties that can print a blank ballot without a code for the voters to fill in at the polling location.
6. Provisional and Conditional ballots will be counted on Election Day.
a. FALSE. Poll ballots will be counted, but Provisional and Conditional ballots require processing and research. Provisional ballots cannot be processed until all mail-in ballots have been counted, so it can be three to four weeks after Election Day before Provisionals are counted. Conditionals are counted as the voters’ eligibility is verified.
7. Election workers are required to be bilingual.
a. FALSE. Election workers are required to be literate and fluent in English. The county is required to make every effort to provide assistance from bilingual workers in federally required languages where mandated.
8. Polling booths may be in a separate room from the check-in table.
a. FALSE. All portions of the polling location must be in view of everyone at all times.
9. Voters may share a voting booth with a family member.
a. FALSE. Unless a voter is demonstrably in need of assistance to mark a ballot, voting must be done independently. If the voter needs assistance, the poll worker at the check-in station must be notified and the voter’s name recorded on the Assisted Voter List.
10. Election workers should check each marked ballot before it is cast in order to be sure that the voter has not made an error.
a. FALSE. Every voter’s ballot must be SECRET unless the voter selects someone to assist in the reading or marking of the ballot.
11. Voters who make a mistake on their ballot are entitled to a “do-over.”
a. TRUE. Voter’s get three chances to “get it right.” However, once the ballot is submitted to the ballot box or scanner, it cannot be retrieved for correction.
12. Voters not on the precinct list or electronic poll book are entitled to vote with a provisional
ballot.
a. TRUE. No one can be denied a ballot, but if the voter’s eligibility cannot be immediately verified, the ballot must be provisional.
13. Provisional ballots are not counted.
a. FALSE. Every ballot that can be verified as legitimate is counted.
14. Vote-by-mail voters who damaged, lost or did not receive their ballot are entitled to cast a provisional ballot on Election Day.
a. FALSE. Any voter who has not already voted is entitled to a NON-Provisional ballot.
15. Vote-by-mail voters may turn their ballot in on Election Day to any polling place in the state.
a. TRUE. If the ballot is submitted in a county other than the one that issued it, it will be forwarded to the proper county.
16. Vote-by mail voters may surrender their ballot at any polling place and be given a regular ballot.
a. TRUE. Voters in Voters Choice counties and some others do not have to surrender their ballot before getting a regular ballot, because that ballot will be electronically cancelled when the voter votes in person.
17. Any person may submit an unlimited number of vote-by-mail ballots for other voters.
a. TRUE. There is no limitation on ballot harvesting in California other than harvesters cannot be paid per ballot. However, only ballots sealed in signed and dated envelopes may be submitted. Those wishing to submit their ballot without the envelope (see #5) must do so themselves.
18. Voters may not bring children into the voting booth with them.
a. FALSE. Voters may be accompanied by any number of minors.
19. Voters may not wear, display or distribute any campaign paraphernalia within 100-feet of any polling place, including a ballot drop box.
a. TRUE.
20. Voters may not discuss ballot issues within 100-feet of any polling place or ballot drop box.
a. TRUE. Such conversations are illegal among anyone.
21. Voters may take pictures in the polling place.
a. TRUE. No PEOPLE may be photographed without their permission, but otherwise voters may take pictures.
22. Voters who arrive at the polls after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day may not vote in person, but they may still hand in their vote-by-mail ballot.
a. FALSE. Polling locations and all drop boxes must be closed at exactly 8:00 p.m. Voters already in line at that time must still be allowed to vote, but no one arriving after that time may submit a ballot in any way.
The only way a ballot may be legally submitted after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day is to find a post office open after hours that will postmark it before midnight.
23. Citizens and foreign observers may observe the polling place only during open hours as long as they don’t interfere with the process.
a. FALSE. All observers are also allowed to observe before the polls open and after they close.
24. Citizens may not question the way the election is being run because that would interfere with the process.
a. FALSE. Citizens have the right to ask questions of elections officials and to receive timely answers, as long as they are not interfering with the process.
25. Provisional ballots are not counted unless needed.
a. FALSE. All ballots determined to be lawfully cast are counted.
26. A voter may gather up vote-by-mail ballots from friends and neighbors and drop them off at the polls for them.
a. TRUE.
27. The lead official at the polling place is responsible to verify that the ballot box is empty at the beginning of the voting day.
a. FALSE. The lead official is responsible to have the first voter verify that all ballot containers are empty before the first ballot is cast.
28. Eligible people who are not registered to vote may register at the polling location and vote.
a. TRUE. It’s called Conditional Voter Registration. The ballot will be submitted in an envelope that serves as an affidavit of registration, and if the applicant is approved to be added to the voter rolls prior to the certification of the election, the ballot will be counted.
29. Voters may make changes to their registration at the moment of voting.
a. TRUE. Voters may change their address or political party at the moment of voting in counties that utilize electronic poll books (which is most if not all counties)
30. Voters may receive unrestricted assistance in casting their ballot.
a. FALSE. Voters may look up information on a tablet or phone, bring in voter information pamphlets or booklets, and may have up to two people of their choice (other than their employer or union representative) to help them to read and physically mark the ballot. Collaboration regarding choices, however, is forbidden.
31. California citizens have the right to observe all election processes, be close enough to see and hear, to ask questions and get answers, and in some circumstances challenge procedures that appear unlawful.
a. TRUE. Citizen oversight is the only way to keep the bureaucracy in check and ensure a better chance of reliable election results. The old adage is true: While the cat’s away, the mice will play. We must all do our part to Keep the Republic. See EIPCa’s recent articles on ways you can be a valuable Citizen Observer.
32. Once the election is “called” on election night, the election is final.
a. FALSE. That “call” is only the media’s best prediction. The official results in California are certified by each county 30 days after Election Day, and statewide by the Secretary of State 45 days after Election Day. Until then, nothing is final, and election night “calls” are frequently reversed before certification.
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