For a lot of Americans, trying to vote in Tuesday's midterms was frustrating.
To say the least.
These were the first elections since the passage of new, restrictive voting laws in many states. Especially in North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas, voters reported confusion over the location of their polling places, the identification required to vote, and whether they'd even been added to the rolls. From the New York Times:
Some longtime voters in Texas reported on Tuesday that they were refused a ballot because they lacked newly required photo identification. In North Carolina, voters who showed up at the wrong precinct were unable to vote, reflecting a new policy. And in Georgia, hundreds of frustrated people called a hotline to say they were unsure if their voter registrations had been processed, some of the thousands of would-be new voters who reportedly faced uncertainty.
In many cases, the accounts seemed to reflect concerns raised by civic groups and civil rights leaders that new photo identification requirements in several states and cutbacks in early voting and same-day registration in others would deter significant numbers of people from participating in the elections.
Civil rights organizations monitoring the election for irregularities asked voters to report excessive lines, questionable conduct by poll workers, and any instances of citizens being turned away. They'll no doubt provide summaries of these reports in the coming days. But in the meantime, frustrated voters who weren't able to vote or witnessed others being prohibited from casting ballots took their complaints directly to Twitter:
Just saw a woman holding a baby turned away at the polls for having an expired drivers license. It's her on the picture. #VoterID
— Reginald Hardwick (@regihardwick) November 4, 2014
Saw a man being questioned because he just moved and his #VoterID and registration address didn't match.
— Reginald Hardwick (@regihardwick) November 4, 2014
On the phone with older African-American man being made to vote provisionally because 1 digit on his VR card is transposed. #TX #VoterID
— Sarah Slamen (@VictorianPrude) November 4, 2014
tried to vote and I can't cos my ID doesn't have my new address, so id have to drive 2 hours away to do it. What kind of shit is this?
— Ricky (@Sky_Bound) November 4, 2014
In line to vote today and already seen someone turned away. Texas's voter ID law is stupid
— Allison Taylor (@AllisonTaylor32) November 4, 2014
I tried to vote first thing this morning but was sent away. They had no voter "lists" at my poll site! http://t.co/qak0kURHRU
— Shelley D. Best (@RevShelley) November 4, 2014
Tried to vote at @UF and it was a disaster. Was sent to an hour long line and ended up walking out. Not one volunteer had a clue
— C T II (@UF_FRE_CTJR) November 4, 2014
Couldn't vote today because my landlord misspelled my name on my lease agreement.
— anna konda (@LEXiLAKE) November 4, 2014
Was told I couldn't vote today b/c voter my reg wasn't in system. Had them check, there was glitch! Wonder how many ppl left w/out voting.
— Pam Moore (@PamMktgNut) November 5, 2014
My husband and I are being told we can't vote at Jim Ward Community Center 301 NW 46th Ave Plantation , FL 33322 @wsvn @ABC
— Linda Benedict (@lindabenedict) November 4, 2014
@MarkUdall My man & I were turned away from the polling station, were denied our right to vote. Those were your votes the GOP just stole.
— Kye Sangha (@KyeSangha) November 5, 2014
