Polling Place GuideNew Haven, CT
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Can everyone vote without pressure?

Freedom from Intimidation and Interference

Nobody may threaten, pressure or block a person who is trying to vote. A calm entrance and a clear path to the voting area are the simplest signs that this rule is working.

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A calm school entrance on Election Day with an open walkway, a Vote Here sign, and voters walking in freely. The front of a brick New Haven school with autumn trees. A wide, empty walkway leads to open double doors under a sign that reads Vote Here. Two voters are walking in side by side, chatting. A small distance marker stands at the edge of the lawn. Nobody is blocking the path or standing over the entrance.
Describe this illustration

The front of a brick New Haven school with autumn trees. A wide, empty walkway leads to open double doors under a sign that reads Vote Here. Two voters are walking in side by side, chatting. A small distance marker stands at the edge of the lawn. Nobody is blocking the path or standing over the entrance.

Things you may notice

Things you may notice about a calm, welcoming polling place.

  1. People can approach and enter the polling place without being blocked.

    For example: The walkway and doors are open. Nobody stands in the way or demands to see papers before voters go in.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation · Connecticut election law (Title 9)

  2. People near the entrance are not threatening or confronting voters.

    For example: Campaign supporters, if any, keep the required distance and do not follow or question voters.

    Share an observation
    Learn more

    Connecticut keeps campaign activity a set distance from the entrance (a 75-foot zone). People outside that zone may hand out material; they may not threaten, follow or block voters.

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation · Connecticut election law (Title 9)

  3. Poll workers explain procedures without suggesting whom to vote for.

    For example: A worker explains how to fill in the oval, not which oval to fill in.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation · Help America Vote Act, Section 302: provisional voting and posted information

  4. Voters can move between check-in and voting stations without unwanted interference.

    For example: Nobody stops voters on the way to the booth to ask who they are voting for.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation

  5. Voters can ask questions without being threatened or ridiculed.

    For example: A voter asks for a new ballot after a mistake and gets one, without being mocked.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation · Civil Rights Act voting protections

Notice something different? Write down what you personally saw or heard, including the time and location. You can ask an election official for help.

Why it matters

Intimidation often happens outside the building or in the first few steps inside. Because every voter walks that path, every voter can notice whether it felt free of pressure.

What one visit cannot tell you

  • Whether someone standing outside is an authorized observer, a campaign volunteer or a passer-by. You can still note where they stood and what they said.
  • Whether a voter felt intimidated. Describe the words and actions you heard and saw, and let the people who review reports draw conclusions.
In Connecticut
  • Connecticut's Election Day hotline, run by the State Elections Enforcement Commission and the Secretary of the State, takes reports of intimidation or irregularities while polls are open. (Connecticut Election Day hotline)
What the law actually says

Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act (52 U.S.C. § 10307(b)) makes it unlawful to intimidate, threaten or coerce any person for voting or trying to vote, or for helping someone vote. It applies to officials and to private people alike.

If something is happening right now

Tell a poll worker or the moderator in charge of the polling place. On Election Day you can also call Connecticut's election hotline at 866-SEEC-INFO (866-733-2463). Do not confront anyone yourself.

Related legal authorities
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