SAN DIEGO — As election day approaches, CBS 8 has been Working for You to separate fact from fiction on all things election related.
We've heard from viewers who want to VERIFY what's true and what's not.
Absentee Ballots
No, absentee ballots are not only counted in close races.
According to vote.org, one claim it hears often is that absentee ballots are only counted in tight races. Election officials are required to count every ballot, regardless of whether you vote in person or absentee. Some of the misconceptions stem from when races are called early. This happens when it’s not mathematically possible for a candidate to win. Every ballot is still counted for the final tally even if you already know the result.
Can you use a sharpie to fill out your ballot?
Posts on social media have warned against using them claiming they could bleed through and invalidate your vote. We can VERIFY, yes you can use a sharpie to fill out a ballot.
Is it legal to post a photo of your completed ballot?
Each state runs their own elections. Some states ban posting pictures of ballots. Other states allow it, but not in or near a polling place. We can verify rules for taking pictures of your ballot vary by state.
In California, its ok to post a picture of your ballot, all while taking that picture inside a polling place.
Is removing a political sign from someone's yard a crime?
There's no federal law against stealing campaign signs. But, there are laws in all 50 states that make it illegal in most cases to take them from private properties.
Yes, it is a crime to steal a campaign sign from private property.
Are candidates guaranteed equal amounts of ad time?
No, political candidates are
According to the Communications Act of 1934, if a candidate appears for more than four seconds on a tv station's air, that station “shall afford equal opportunities to all other such candidates for that office.”
News coverage or interviews don't count, but entertainment content does.
Also, notice the Communications Act says equal opportunities not equal time so if a candidate buys an ad for a thousand dollars, the station has to give their opponent the option to buy an ad for the same price at the same time.
The rules only apply to broadcast tv or radio.
Are political ads required to be factual in order to be aired on broadcast television?
No, political ads are not required to be factual in order to air on broadcast television.
We found ads are regulated by the FCC, which applies just two rules: all candidates must have the same opportunity to buy commercial time on stations and politicians can say whatever they want.
Accuracy is not one of the rules.
Do gas prices always go down before elections?
Of the 14 election seasons we analyzed from 1994 to 2020, prices decreased in eight of them. The other six saw price increases for gasoline. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also keeps monthly data on historic gas prices, dating back to 1976. We looked at data in the months of September, October, and November.
Of those periods in the 23 election years covered by BLS data, gas prices decreased in 15 and increased in eight.
No, gas prices do not always go down before elections.
Can people see who you voted for after an election?
All of our sources agree that while your voter registration information is public record, people cannot see who you voted for after an election. That’s because voters have a right to cast a secret ballot in all 50 states, meaning who you actually vote for is private information.