It’s Election Day in Los Angeles. Here’s what to do if you encounter issues voting

It’s Election Day in California, a midterm in which people are paying close attention to several races, including California governor, Los Angeles mayor and L.A. County sheriff.

There are 14 state measures on the ballot, including the highly contested Prop. 40 on whether or not to tax billionaires — and two propositions, 41 and 42, designed to take it down — Prop. 39 on voter IDs and Prop. 3 on public education. Additionally, voters will decide on local measures, which vary by county and city. 

As candidates and advocates of propositions continued campaigning until the last minute, L.A. County had several voting centers open for people who wanted to cast an early vote before Nov. 3.

While many face uncertainty and doubt about whether immigration officers will be at polls and whether their ballots will count — based on unfounded voter fraud claims by the federal government — several organizations and state officials are providing vital information for voters.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice said that neither FBI nor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be present at voting centers, but officers from other agencies will be present acting as monitors, not as law enforcement officers.

Help made available live 

For those who may need help on how to vote or want to report something going wrong at a polling place, they are encouraged to call 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682). The hotline, providing real-time support to voters experiencing problems at the polls, will have staff answering the phones throughout the day. For English, people can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

This is part of the Election Protection coalition’s official Spanish-language hotline managed by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. People can call for any issues they face at the polls, including:

• A polling place that has moved or closed

• A name missing from the voter rolls

• Questions about what ID to bring

• Trouble returning or tracking a mail ballot

• Being told they can’t vote

• Intimidation or misleading information about voting

Operators can also answer questions about every step of the voting process, from where to vote and what to bring to how to vote by mail.

“On Election Day, the difference between casting a ballot and going home without voting can come down to one conversation,” said NALEO CEO Erica Bernal-Martinez in a press release. “With more than 36 million Latinos eligible to vote, our operators will be on the phones from early morning until late into the night, making sure every voter who runs into a problem gets real help, in real time, in the language they’re most comfortable speaking.”

The independent nonpartisan coalition “A Count You Can Trust” is also urging every eligible voter to make a plan to vote. Registered voters can cast their ballot at any vote center in the county and non-registered voters can register onsite and cast a provisional ballot. 

“Every eligible voter should feel confident casting their ballot and should have a plan to make their voice heard,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, co-chair of A Count You Can Trust. “Voting early helps election officials process your ballot sooner so it can be included in the early count. Make your plan today and cast your ballot early.”

The coalition reaffirmed that election night results are not final for the most part and the count will likely continue for a few days.

For more information about vote center locations and hours, and ballot return options, visit the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at lavote.gov.