When am I entitled to receive assistance? 

You are entitled to receive assistance if you cannot read or write, or if you have a physical disability that prevents you from reading or marking the ballot. Also, you do not have to provide proof of your disability.

Who can I ask for assistance?

If you need help in reading or marking your ballot, you can ask a friend to help you vote, or you can ask the election officials to help you. You can choose anyone you want to help you, except your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union.

Specifically:

• Any person the voter chooses who is not an election worker;

• Two election workers on Election Day; or

• One election worker during early voting.

You can choose anyone you want to help you, except your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union.

Can a Poll Watcher watch me vote if I am receiving assistance from an Election Officer?

A watcher is entitled to be present at the voting station when a voter is being assisted by an election officer, and the watcher is entitled to examine the ballot before it is deposited in the ballot box to determine whether it is prepared in accordance with the voter's wishes.

A watcher may not be present at the voting station when a voter is preparing the voter's ballot or is being assisted by a person of the voter's choice.

If I ask for assistance, will someone help me?

If you ask the workers at the polling place to help you, you will be assisted by two election workers on Election Day, or one election worker during early voting.

If you choose to be assisted by polling place officials, poll watchers and/or state and federal election inspectors present in the polling place may observe the voting process to be sure that the ballot has been marked as you requested. If you ask to be assisted by a person of your choosing, no one else may watch you vote.

Does the person assisting me have to fill out a form?

A person, other than an election officer, who assists a voter in accordance with this chapter is required to complete a form stating:

• the name and address of the person assisting the voter;

• the relationship to the voter of the person assisting the voter; and

• whether the person assisting the voter received or accepted any form of compensation or other benefit from a candidate, campaign, or political committee.

Can someone violate the law by helping me vote?

YES, It is illegal for a person assisting you to try to influence your vote, to mark your ballot in a way other than the way you have asked, or to tell anyone how you voted.

Can I ask for an interpreter if I don’t understand the language?

If you do not understand the language being spoken in the polling place or you do not understand the language that the ballot is written in, you have the right to an interpreter.

Can I ask for an interpreter to help me communicate with the election officials?

If you cannot speak English, or if you communicate only with sign language, you may use an interpreter to help you communicate with election officials. You can select any registered voter from your county to be your interpreter.

Can someone translate the ballot for me?

If you cannot read the languages on the ballot, your interpreter can translate the ballot for you in the voting booth.

What if my name doesn’t match the name on my ID?

Poll workers are required to make a determination of whether the voter’s name matches with the list of registered voters in the pollbook. Your name must only be “substantially similar.” 

• Examples of substantially similar names from the SOS’s website: maiden names (Beyoncé Knowles is similar to Beyoncé Carter), unlisted middle names (Neil Harris is similar to Neil Patrick Harris), middle initials (Lyndon B. Johnson is similar to Lyndon Baines Johnson), customary versions of names (Sam Houston is similar to Samuel Houston, Esperanza Andrade is similar to Hope Andrade), and slightly different names (Marc Cuban is similar to Mark Cuban, Jamie Fox is similar to Jamie Foxx).

If a voter’s name does not match exactly but is substantially similar, the voter must be able to vote, but may have to sign a document stating you are the person that you claim to be. 

If someone is turned away because their name is “not similar,” please report this issue.

Are there any AAPI or Spanish resources available to me?

Yes, if you have questions or need help voting, there are people available to help. Please call 1-888-API-VOTE (1-888-274-8683) and you will be able to receive bilingual assistance in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali.

And, if you speak Spanish, please call 888-Ve-Y-Vota (839-8682) or 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) if you need resources in Arabic.

The Election Judge at your polling location will also have translation resources available to them.