Vote Without Fear: Protecting Your Rights & Your Voice
As I’ve been canvassing in swing states, I’ve noticed a deeply unsettling trend: women quietly sharing that they plan to vote but don’t want their husbands to know. With quick glances over their shoulders, they whisper, “I’m voting for her, I have a plan,” signaling for discretion. These conversations bring to light a real and troubling fear some people feel, even within their own homes, about exercising their right to vote.
This fear underscores the importance of knowing and protecting your voting rights, especially with just days left before the election. In a Presidential general election, you’re free to vote for any candidate on the ballot, regardless of your registered party. This means that as a registered Republican, you can vote for the Democratic nominee, and vice versa. There’s no need to change your party registration to vote across party lines.
It’s also important to remember that while certain details of voter registration—like your name, address, and party affiliation—are public, your actual vote remains private. No one, including family members or spouses, has the right to know your vote unless you choose to share it. This privacy is a cornerstone of your civil liberties, allowing each of us to vote freely and independently.
For those feeling concerned about how their voting choice might impact their safety, I urge you to take whatever precautions necessary to protect yourself. Voting is a powerful act of self-expression, but so is prioritizing your well-being.
Resources for Survivors and Those Facing Power and Control Dynamics
This concern is especially relevant for survivors of gender-based violence, sexual assault, or intimate partner violence, where dynamics of power and control can make something as fundamental as voting feel risky. For many survivors, concerns over safety, potential backlash, or trauma triggers can influence how they approach voting—or even if they feel safe to vote at all.
Disturbingly, reports reveal incidents where husbands have prevented their wives from voting, coerced them to vote for a particular candidate, or even insisted on watching as they cast their ballot in voting booths or at home with mail-in ballots. While many resources focus on cisgender heterosexual couples, it’s crucial to remember that these dynamics also exist in LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. These situations highlight the extreme lengths some people go to control a partner's choices, infringing upon what should be a private and independent act.
For those who may feel vulnerable in these situations, Vote Without Fear offers resources to help understand your voting rights and protect your privacy. Additionally, The Network/La Red, a survivor-led organization supporting LGBTQ+ and marginalized communities impacted by partner abuse, offers crucial resources and support for anyone experiencing control in their relationships.
Remember: your vote is yours alone, and you deserve to exercise that right without fear.
By knowing your rights, protecting your safety, and using resources like Vote Without Fear , ACLU’s Voting Right’s Guide, and No More’s Voting Guide we can all ensure that our voices—and our choices—are protected.
Note: both Vote Without Fear and No More have quick exit options.
If you’d rather call, you can dial the It’s Your Vote hotline to hear a familiar voice remind you that it’s your vote.
English: (888) 291-3027 or Spanish: (866) 675-1561
If you’re feeling unsafe in your relationship, please remember you’re not alone—reach out for support by
texting "START" to 88788 or calling 800.799.SAFE (7233)
