All the ads, door-knocking, polling, speeches, and rallies culminate tomorrow as Americans head to the polls to vote in one of the nation’s most historic elections. With 90 percent of the electorate holding the opinion that the country is seriously off track, voters are engaging in the political process as never before. Approximately 153.1 million Americans are now registered to vote (a record 73.5 percent of citizens 18 or older), record numbers are turning out to take advantage of the early voting systems in more than 30 states, and election officials are expecting record turnout overall. But with such unprecedented engagement comes the possibility of massive problems, including long lines, votes not being properly counted, and even deliberate suppression. Conservatives continue to demagogue about the potential of vast voter fraud, although they have virtually no solid evidence to back up their claims. The possibilities of such problems, however, shouldn’t deter anyone from voting. As Mary G. Wilson, president of the League of Women Voters, noted, the “willingness of people to wait in line for this historic vote…is ‘affirmation our democracy is alive and well.'” If you have any questions on how or when to vote, or if you would like to report problems registering to vote or casting a ballot, visit the Election Protection Coalition or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights has more voter protection resources here.

From The Progress Report