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We are less than a month away from Election Day, on Nov. 8, and I have been receiving an increasing number of emails and phone calls from my constituents who are concerned about voter intimidation.
This issue has made national news among the presidential candidates, and the people who have contacted me fear they might be victims of intimidation when they cast their ballots.
In case someone isn’t aware or has forgotten, voter intimidation is against the law in Pennsylvania. According to Section 1847 of the Pennsylvania Election Code, anyone engaging in the act of voter intimidation shall be subject to up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Plain and simple, voter intimidation is illegal. It includes, but is not limited to, the following: intimidating or coercing voters, threatening force, violence, injury, restraint, damage, or loss to get a person to vote or not vote for a particular candidate or issue; or using abduction, duress, coercion or other forcible or fraudulent methods to interfere with a person’s right to vote.
If anyone witnesses voter intimidation at their polling place, they should report the activity to the county board of elections or the county district attorney’s office. Complaints also can be filed online with the Pennsylvania Department of State at www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us.
The power of the vote is the only thing that puts each of us on equal footing to the most powerful people in America. Please exercise your power on Nov. 8.
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski
Wilkes-Barre