The Republican effort to suppress voter turnout (especially among the poor, working class, and voters of color) is in full swing. In battleground states, the Republican party has several thousand people ready to challenge the legality of any vote from any voter who they suspect is not eligible. In other words, they are up to their dirty tricks once again and therefore, the results can be very significant and very costly to our nation and our entire democracy.

In order to guard against this, MoveOn.org has just released a wallet-size Election Protection Card that contains useful tips for making sure that your vote is counted. Some of their tips are:

• Find your polling place ahead of time. Sites like MyPollingPlace.com can help with that.
• When in doubt if you’re at the right polling station or how to use the voting machine, ask poll workers to help you -- that’s their job.
• If your name is not on the official voter list but you believe you are eligible to vote in that precinct, even if an election official challenges your vote, you have the right to cast a “provisional ballot.”
• If you’re in line when the polls close, you should stay in line because you’re entitled to vote.
• In many states, your employer must allow you time to vote at some point during the day. You can’t be fired for being late due to long polling lines.
• Bring photo ID, preferably government-issued ID or a utility bill, phone bill, or paycheck with your name and current street address. If you’re a new registrant, it may be required.
• Vote in the morning to prevent getting caught in lines later in the day.
• If something does go wrong, first, document it. If people challenge your right to vote, intimidate voters, or interfere with the process, try to get their names. Write down exactly what happened, including the time of day, descriptions of the people involved, and any other details you can remember.
• Then, report it to organizations like MoveOnPac.org, OurVote.com, Common Cause: Call 1-866-MYVOTE1, or 1-866-OUR-VOTE, described as the “911″ of voter suppression hotlines.