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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/trouble_voting
a resource for voters who run into problems at the polling place

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Having a problem with a machine? Don't understand the ballot? Need help in pulling a cumbersome lever? Ask a poll worker.

They are ostensibly trained to operate all equipment, and to help a citizen vote. That means pulling the lever, or marking the ballot of anyone too frail or in need of assistance. But sometimes even the poll workers don't know how to operate the newest machines, and sometimes they don't show up to work on time, as was seen Baltimore in the September primary.

Still, it is best to ask a poll worker rather than one of the partisan poll watchers who have descended on precincts in recent elections to monitor voters — sometimes injecting themselves into questions that arise at polling places, according to election officials.

"In a lot of cases, they're interpreting it the way they want to interpret it," Lewis said. "And they're wrong." Also, voters sometimes are just too shy about holding up the line, or appearing uneducated, to ask a poll worker for help.

"People get there, and they think 'I'm a bad citizen. I shouldn't ask a question, I should know this,'" said Doug Chapin of the nonpartisan group electionline.org. "It's not unusual for things not to go 100 percent right during an election and it's perfectly OK to ask for help. That's what poll workers are there for."

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On the Net:

http://www.electionline.org/

http://www.canivote.org/

http://www.electionprotection/

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suggested queries for this page - verified voting