Voting Poll Etiquette: How to Successfully Brave the Long Line

With midterm elections upon us, voting is on everyone’s “to do” list. One bone of contention when it comes to voting is the long lines and disgruntled voters. The following are a few tips on how to get through the tedious task of voting at your local poll site.

Be Prepared

Ensure you have the appropriate documents ready to show the voting official. Your driver’s license, military ID or passport are legitimate forms of identification. The less time you take looking for your documents, the faster the line moves. Preparedness is a courtesy to others.

Park Politely

A record number of citizens registered to vote this year, meaning increased traffic and tight spaces. Be courteous of other drivers and park in designated areas. Don’t block entrances, linger in your car, visit with neighbors or take up multiple spaces. Use your turn signal, lay off the horn and have patience.

Follow Volunteer Directions

Volunteers aid voters and keep the lines moving smoothly. For example, if they tell you not to sit on a curb, it may be because the curb is a fire lane. They are tasked with giving you prior directions to keep the flow of voter traffic moving, as well as ensure you are informed and prepared.

Monitor Your Attitude

The line to vote is often long and the wait can take hours. It would be easy to get irritated when waiting for an extended period. Don’t raise your voice, cut in line or make negative comments about the wait. Bear in mind, everyone is there for the same reason: to exercise their civic duty. Do your part to make it a pleasant experience for yourself and others.

Be Friendly

While you may be in line with complete strangers, it doesn’t hurt to offer a smile. You will likely stand alongside them for quite a while so it may be an excellent opportunity to get to know a new neighbor. People in line are part of your immediate community, and a simple “hello” makes a big difference in your relationships. Best case, you meet a new friend and worst case, the time goes by faster.

Don’t Try to Change Minds

Laws vary from state to state regarding “electioneering” or the act of political canvassing at a voting location. In many places, wearing political buttons, t-shirts and caps is frowned upon, if not illegal. Regardless of the laws in place, the reality is that by the time most people have gotten to the polls, their minds are made up. Subsequently, this is not the time to start a debate.

 

You may also like How to Deal With Friends’ Political Rants on Social Media. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.