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Wounded Bear

(58,437 posts)
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 09:37 PM Jul 2020

How do homeless people vote?

Facing millions of evictions in the near future, and the end of enhanced UI leading to more foreclosures and evictions, how many people will be put out into the streets between now and Nov 1?

Is this the Repub voter suppression strategy this year? With that many displaced persons, will the Repubs have to fuck with the voting machines?

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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How do homeless people vote? (Original Post) Wounded Bear Jul 2020 OP
Yep, I've wondered this soothsayer Jul 2020 #1
Ditto GreenPartyVoter Jul 2020 #2
Using something approximating an address. Ms. Toad Jul 2020 #3
Anything that makes it harder to vote suppresses it...nt Wounded Bear Jul 2020 #4
Voting is based on where you live - Ms. Toad Jul 2020 #6
And aren't there deadlines to re-register a new location IF appalachiablue Jul 2020 #5
In Virginia I don't think they do. In Oregon I think they are sought out underpants Jul 2020 #7
In some places Dan Jul 2020 #8
I'm going to guess that most homeless, especially long term homeless, PoindexterOglethorpe Jul 2020 #9
That is true JonLP24 Jul 2020 #10
When I was homeless... 2naSalit Jul 2020 #11

Ms. Toad

(33,915 posts)
3. Using something approximating an address.
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 09:40 PM
Jul 2020

It is recommended homeless registrants list a shelter address as their voting address where they could receive mail. Alternatively, homeless registrants may denote a street corner or a park as their residence, in lieu of a traditional home address. The federal voter registration form and many state forms provide a space for this purpose.

https://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/special-circumstances/voting-and-homelessness/

Ms. Toad

(33,915 posts)
6. Voting is based on where you live -
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 09:47 PM
Jul 2020

All 50 states allow the use of a street corner, park, etc. as an address.

This doesn't suppress voting, it makes it possible.

(The same applies for attending school)

underpants

(182,273 posts)
7. In Virginia I don't think they do. In Oregon I think they are sought out
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 09:47 PM
Jul 2020

and brought ballots. Oregon votes by mail from what I understand. I’ve read that social services or someone seeks out the homeless to make sure they vote.

Dan

(3,524 posts)
8. In some places
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 10:16 PM
Jul 2020

Where they reside at a homeless shelter - that can be used.

There are some County organizations that allow the homeless to use their location/address as their address.

As long as you can establish that you reside within a County - and have a place that you can use as your address (authorized) - you can vote.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
9. I'm going to guess that most homeless, especially long term homeless,
Fri Jul 24, 2020, 10:33 PM
Jul 2020

don't vote.

As for the unfortunate people who were registered to vote, voted regularly, and become homeless between now and November, well they will still be able to vote in person. Getting a mailed ballot might be a bit trickier.

2naSalit

(86,048 posts)
11. When I was homeless...
Sat Jul 25, 2020, 01:07 AM
Jul 2020

I was encouraged to register to vote, the NGO helping me find housing and other needed services served as my mailing address so I could receive mail and still claim residency. Every time I got mail from a state agency, there was a voter registration form included. This is still the case. We have mail in voting statewide this year and in a normal year, a third of the state votes by mail.

We have a good governor who should become our next new Senator.

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