Election‎ Day‎ 2020 — A‎ day‎ that‎ will‎ live‎ in‎ infamy.‎ Wanting‎ to‎ avoid‎ the‎ big‎ crowds‎ I‎ decided‎ to‎ go‎ vote‎ early‎ in‎ the‎ morning.

I‎ arrived‎ at‎ my‎ polling‎ place‎ at‎ 8:30‎ a.m., got‎ in‎ and‎ presented‎ my‎ license —‎ no‎ record‎ found.‎ No‎ problem,‎ we’ll  search‎ by‎ license‎ number — no‎ record‎ found.‎ No‎ problem,‎ we’ll‎ search‎ by‎ date‎ of‎ birth —‎ no‎ record‎ found

“Have‎ you‎ moved‎ recently?‎ Changed‎ your‎ last‎ name?‎” No.

“You‎ will‎ have‎ to‎ see‎ the supervisor.”

Supervisor‎ went‎ through‎ the‎ same‎ process‎ with‎ same‎ res —‎ no‎ record‎ found.
Supervisor‎ stated‎ that‎ there‎ have‎ been‎ problems‎ all‎ morning‎ with‎ the‎ computer‎ system —‎ remember‎, it’s‎ 8:30.

I‎ was‎ given‎ a‎ provisional‎ ballot‎ as‎ well‎ as‎ a‎ receipt‎ with‎ the‎ ballot‎ ID‎ number

I‎ left‎ the polling‎ place‎ not‎ feeling‎ well‎ about‎ what‎ just‎ transpired.‎ “Wait‎ a‎ minute,‎ I’ve‎ lived‎ in‎ Bristol‎ my‎ entire‎ life,‎ the‎ last‎ 23‎ years‎ at‎ my‎ current‎ address.‎ I’ve‎ had‎ a‎ R.I.‎ driver’s‎ license‎ for‎ over‎ 35‎ years.‎ I’ve‎ been‎ a‎ state‎ licensed‎ EMT‎ for‎ over‎ 30‎ years.‎ I‎ pay‎ vehicle‎ use‎ taxes‎ as‎ well‎ as‎ register,‎ insure‎ and‎ inspect‎ five‎ motor‎ vehicles‎ under‎ my‎ name.‎ I pay‎ both‎ town‎ and‎ state‎ taxes ... No‎ record‎ found‎?

I‎ checked‎ status‎ of‎ my‎ ballot‎ ID‎ number‎ several‎ times‎ until‎ it‎ said‎ “disqualified.”
Town‎ clerk’s‎ office‎ first‎ stop‎ the‎ following‎ morning.‎ I‎ asked‎ to‎ confirm‎ my‎ voting‎ status‎, which‎ was‎ active.‎ My‎ license‎?‎ Active.

There‎ are‎ three‎ reasons‎ one‎ gets‎ a‎ provisional‎ ballot —‎ valid‎ ID‎ not‎ given,‎ not‎ on‎ voting‎ rolls‎,‎ or‎ if‎ you‎ requested‎ a‎ mail-in‎ ballot.

The‎ town‎ clerk‎ made‎ some‎ calls‎ and‎ came‎ back‎ and‎ said‎ not‎ to‎ worry,‎ my‎ ballot‎ was‎ located.‎ I‎ was‎ registered‎ to‎ vote‎ in‎ the‎ town‎ of‎ Exeter.‎ I was also told that sometimes‎ it‎ happens‎ when‎ two people have a similar‎ name‎ and‎ birthday‎. ‎Do those two people share the same license number as well?

I then asked how I could receive an application for a mail-in ballot (not requested) at my home but yet there’s “No record found” on Election Day.

“They probably used an older or different list.” How many voting lists are there?

I was assured that my ballot had not yet been counted but will be … The election was over at that point.

The State of Rhode Island has a well earned reputation of incompetence when it comes to many things — sending out tax bills is definitely not one of them. I never fail to get a tax bill, vehicle registration or vehicle use tax bill (x5), but when it comes time to exercise my constitutional rights, there’s, “No record found.”
There is no excuse for this, but there is a term for it: voter suppression.

It shouldn’t matter who you voted for.

It’s not a red versus blue thing.

It’s a red, white and blue thing.

Peter C. Serbst
Bristol