Voter Lines in NC and smart-ass cages

Long Lines? No Problem.

Well, I’ve got good news and anxiety-riddled news. The (obvious) good news is that I voted today! That’s right, polls are open and lines are long here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The library near my house is an early-voting place. Thinking I’d be able to zip in and zip out I drove by this morning, at 9 a.m., but kept on going when I saw the line curled around the building. After classed I tried again, at 1 p.m., but the line was about the same so I went home.

I thought I’d wait a day or so, or maybe even until next week– I mean, I can walk to the library any time and drive past it every time I leave my neighborhood– but then I saw a news report on something called voter caging. (This would be the anxiety-riddled news.)

Why should I be worried about voter caging? Well, dear readers, because I’m a smart ass.

First, what is voter caging? No, unfortunately it won’t keep dumb-asses from voting, but there is a slim chance it could keep smart asses, like me, from voting.

According to the Web site Project Vote:

“Voter caging is a practice of sending mass direct mailings to registered voters by non-forwardable mail, then compiling lists of voters, called “caging lists,” from the returned mail in order to formally challenge their right to vote on that basis alone. Other methods, such as database matching, have been used more recently to compile voter caging lists. The practice is used almost exclusively by officials or members of the Republican Party, local and national.”

So, how does this affect me? Guess.

That’s right– the Republican party keeps sending me mail and what do I keep doing with it? You got it– I mark it “return to sender <frown-y face>”, put it back in the mail box, flip the flag and stomp back inside, satisfied.

After hearing the news report on voter caging– which is a concept I have heard of before but obviously wasn’t thinking of while checking my mail– I went back to the library and got in line, which was still out the door and down the sidewalk at 3:45 when I left.

I have no idea if my vote can, or will, be challenged. It shouldn’t be, I have the right to reject mail and I am a legitimate voter. I also have no idea if I would even know if my vote was challenged*. To be on the safe side, I sent this message to the North Carolina State Board of Elections:

“I have heard about something called “voter caging” on the news and I am concerned. Here’s why: Because I am not interested in receiving information from the Republican party I mark it “return to sender” and put it back in the mail. That isn’t an indication that I have moved or that anything about my voting information has changed, it is just my way of letting them know I am not interested in their propaganda.

Will my voter registration be affected by “voter caging” because I returned mail to the Republican party?”

No word back yet; I’ll certainly let you know if they respond. On the bright side, maybe I am helping the State Board of Elections think a little more critically about the nonsense that is voter caging– I mean, how many people move and don’t forward their mail? That’s no reason to take their voting rights away. In fact, I would call that voter fraud.

* According to this ten page press release from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, if my vote is challenged I will be notified and will have 30 days to respond to the challenge. Whew. And so, as usual, as I learn things the hard way… I share the lesson. (You’re welcome.)