I unknowingly voted as a permanent resident, HELP!

[caliliving 606]

8 hours ago, Sara1990 said:

I unknowingly voted in federal election without knowing its illegal. Anybody know what is the first thing I should do that can help me when I apply for citizenship ? other than getting immigration attorney ?

I know it was a really big mistake since I just found out thats its illegal. 

Advice will be appreciated. Thanks

OMG GIRL! you did the number 1 mistake that ANYONE can do that will lead to deportation!!!

seriously.. come here work unauthorized, do ANYTHING but NEVEr and i mean NEVER vote!!!! how u got the card in the first place u must have checked on ur driver license u can vote.. i actually got asked to do jury duty and i wrote a huge NOT A US CITiZEN but i never got a voting card - they get jury duty off your driver license...

 

if i was u.. i would never ever apply to be a USC and just hope next time you renew ur greencard it doesnt come up.. bc either way, you are pretty much doomed:/ 

[caliliving 606]

7 hours ago, Sara1990 said:

do you think I should consult with the attorney first before deregister my name ?

you dont get it! a lawyer can not do anything!! by voting you CLAIMED TO BE A US CITIZEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

you are essentially a person that can be deported - why would u vote? just wondering if ur husband/wife told you it was ok to vote!!!! 

 

i read a whle ago someone on VJ was 3 days away from his citizenship interview and applied for a governement job that asked 'are you a us citzien' he said yes and guess what - he went for the citizenship interview and got denied and deported. he was so close, why would he his life up? what u did is bigger then a drug charge, drinking charge, or working unauthorized.. that is the biggest thing in the eyes of immigraiton u could do an nothing could fix it! unfortunately u can keep working under ur greencard and its a ticking time bomb of when it will catch up to u. 

[jcw0028 4]

It's really hard to believe the "unknowingly" part.  I maybe believe "unknowingly" or rather "incorrectly" registering or being registered to vote, but the actual act of going to the polling venue and "unknowingly" voting illegally?  Not so much.  Unfortunately, some polling precincts in coordination with political parties have allowed this to occur in order to get votes which will more likely be cast in favor of their preferred candidate.  They aren't held accountable if someone is later found to have voted illegally, only the person who actually voted, so they really have no incentive to make sure it doesn't happen.  Unfortunately for you, this is being looked at with MUCH MORE scrutiny at the moment, and examples are being made out of those who are caught.  Talking to an attorney now is not necessarily about future US citizenship, it's about possibly going to JAIL!!!  I hope you have already started looking or already found an attorney to speak with.  If not, you need to do it NOW and not later.

[caliliving 606]

6 minutes ago, jcw0028 said:

It's really hard to believe the "unknowingly" part.  I maybe believe "unknowingly" or rather "incorrectly" registering or being registered to vote, but the actual act of going to the polling venue and "unknowingly" voting illegally?  Not so much.  Unfortunately, some polling precincts in coordination with political parties have allowed this to occur in order to get votes which will more likely be cast in favor of their preferred candidate.  They aren't held accountable if someone is later found to have voted illegally, only the person who actually voted, so they really have no incentive to make sure it doesn't happen.  Unfortunately for you, this is being looked at with MUCH MORE scrutiny at the moment, and examples are being made out of those who are caught.  Talking to an attorney now is not necessarily about future US citizenship, it's about possibly going to JAIL!!!  I hope you have already started looking or already found an attorney to speak with.  If not, you need to do it NOW and not later.

i think its a matter of figuring out after she couldnt vote? also, a lawyer can not fix this.. i read a few stories about people registering and fixing it a week later and it was ok.. but actually going to the poll and voting and claiming to be a usc is hard to be forgiven..

forgive me, and this may not be the best advice, but i think she needs to not worry about the citizenship.

how long have u been a permident resident? when do u renew ur card? also, u must have check it on ur driver license bc that is the only way u would get paper in the mail.  i really think u should never ever register to be a citzen... never vote again and maybe consult a lawyer about what to do next.. but ur path to be a citizen is over

[NicoAndNelle 127]

For my knowledge based on this situation can someone please tell me, so when you go to the DMV for your drivers license, is it one form inclusive of several options and they tick off accordingly and then you sign? Or when you registering to vote or whatever else you have separate forms? Am just trying to be clear as to how some.people are mistakenly registered

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

25 minutes ago, NicoAndNelle said:

For my knowledge based on this situation can someone please tell me, so when you go to the DMV for your drivers license, is it one form inclusive of several options and they tick off accordingly and then you sign? Or when you registering to vote or whatever else you have separate forms? Am just trying to be clear as to how some.people are mistakenly registered

If I remember correctly my license application Form that I filled out when I was there had the question "do you wish to register to vote at this time" or smth similar... 

 

Edit: just found that form online... question 1: are you a us citizen?

question 2: if you are a us citizen, would you like to register to vote? 

https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-14A.pdf

So..smth similar is probably the case in mny states.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Suss&Camm

[jcw0028 4]

24 minutes ago, caliliving said:

i think its a matter of figuring out after she couldnt vote? also, a lawyer can not fix this.. i read a few stories about people registering and fixing it a week later and it was ok.. but actually going to the poll and voting and claiming to be a usc is hard to be forgiven..

forgive me, and this may not be the best advice, but i think she needs to not worry about the citizenship.

how long have u been a permident resident? when do u renew ur card? also, u must have check it on ur driver license bc that is the only way u would get paper in the mail.  i really think u should never ever register to be a citzen... never vote again and maybe consult a lawyer about what to do next.. but ur path to be a citizen is over

As I stated, an attorney for her at this point is, to me, more about avoiding a possible jail cell.  I do not believe an attorney can really "fix" anything for anyone, but I do believe an attorney can best advise her on the most correct course of action for her to take now.  While that may not alleviate the consequences, it may certainly affect the severity of consequences.  Also, the act of incorrectly registering to vote is apparently not that uncommon, and, if handled correctly upon realization, likewise does not appear to be an insurmountable mistake; however, the act of going ahead and voting is a much bigger and difficult issue to overcome.

Edited March 22, 2017 by jcw0028
Not finished.

[NicoAndNelle 127]

4 minutes ago, Suss&Camm said:

If I remember correctly my license application Form that I filled out when I was there had the question "do you wish to register to vote at this time" or smth similar... 

 

Edit: just found that firm online... question 1: are you a us citizen?

question 2: if you are a us citizen, would you like to register to vote? 

Great!! Thanks for letting me know

[cyclone27 710]

Not the same for every state - MD for example MVA just asks if you like to register to vote on a touch screen no mention of being a US citizen requirement. (Clerk sort of pushes it)

 

I told the clerk that my wife is not a US citizen so she can't by law register/vote. I had the impression the MVA staff do not care so it's your responsibility to be vigilant on voter registration and jury duty.

 

 

[caliliving 606]

1 hour ago, NicoAndNelle said:

For my knowledge based on this situation can someone please tell me, so when you go to the DMV for your drivers license, is it one form inclusive of several options and they tick off accordingly and then you sign? Or when you registering to vote or whatever else you have separate forms? Am just trying to be clear as to how some.people are mistakenly registered

in california it just asks u 'do u want to register to vote' and then i believe it makes u sign and underneath says 'u sign ur a us citizen'

 

you can google your state driver dmv and see a picture of the form for getting a driver license.. i have googled 'california driver license form' and gotten the form that shows up.  also, if u do register to vote u would get something in the mail.. IMMEDIATELY call and figure out what to do! if u register to vote, they have to giv e u a pamphlet in the mail.. if u  never got the pamphlet, u prob never registered to vote.  

 

 

[caliliving 606]

21 minutes ago, cyclone27 said:

Not the same for every state - MD for example MVA just asks if you like to register to vote on a touch screen no mention of being a US citizen requirement. (Clerk sort of pushes it)

 

I told the clerk that my wife is not a US citizen so she can't by law register/vote. I had the impression the MVA staff do not care so it's your responsibility to be vigilant on voter registration and jury duty.

 

 

i agree.. i remember at the time california never asked if i was a USC but i knew enough to check no on want to register to vote bc i knew u had to be a us citizen.. some people think it means "do u want to register to vote when you are a usc..."

I knew the worst thing u could do in america is register without being a USC:/ 

People dont care bc 99% of the people, especially clerks dont understand the laws!!

 

people thought when i got married i was automatically a USC!!! if only they knew lolllll

 

 

 

[caliliving 606]

I just googled the Califrornia DMV form and it says do u want to register to vote.

it says nothing about being a USC or not.. so basically people need to understand the law before they fill out the form.  but it does not ask if you are a USC or not.  

[caliliving 606]

27 minutes ago, cyclone27 said:

Not the same for every state - MD for example MVA just asks if you like to register to vote on a touch screen no mention of being a US citizen requirement. (Clerk sort of pushes it)

 

I told the clerk that my wife is not a US citizen so she can't by law register/vote. I had the impression the MVA staff do not care so it's your responsibility to be vigilant on voter registration and jury duty.

 

 

it is def your responsibility to understand u cant vote:/ mostly bc the DMV ppl dont understand the laws/rules! if u asked them, im sure they would say anyone who gets a driver license can vote. 

[Unlockable 7,315]

Registering to vote is unfortunately a common (and likely most costly) mistakes some immigrants make. And its unfortunate that there is no shortage of stories of them "mistakenly" registering. Even this past election a senior member here on VJ made a thread advising LPRs NOT to vote and discussing the consequences. It has been mentioned before that if this act is so costly, then the act of registering shouldn't be as simply as checking a small box on a form in some cases.

 

5 hours ago, llcoolmg said:

 

I had forgotten how much bad advice there is in this forum.

 

@Sara1990, No, please do not try to "unregister" to vote what ever that means. In most states the only way to be removed from your states voter roll is if you move to another state and register in the new state or if you die and your current state matches the death certificate with the voter roll. Outside of that the process depends on the state but regardless of the state it would require going to a courthouse and or signing an affidavit. Not good in this legal climate. So yes absolutely speak to not just a immigration attorney but a criminal defense attorney because in this climate, non-citizens who are caught voting are not just getting deported but are serving serious time. Sorry about your luck but speak with legal professional asap.

 

The basis of advising to remover her name from the voter registration list is from Permanent Resident members who found out they were registered to vote and rectified the error by removing their name off the list. There is also a poster who had registered to vote and also filed for citizenship. In their case they mentioned how they removed their name from voter registration and during their naturalization interview they showed the officer the forms  from unregistering and also some affidavit stating they were no longer registered to vote. 

 

The huge difference between that case and @Sara1990 is that that member and other members who erroneously registered to vote NEVER ACTUALLY VOTED. So I see the concern of how making any changes without legal counsel can put the OP at risk. Removing her name from the voter registration list is an effort to get a blip off the radar, so to speak. But definitely finding a competent lawyer will be her best next move. A lawyer now will likely not help her get naturalized but they can help her understand her rights.

[piste 24]

14 hours ago, Sara1990 said:

I unknowingly voted in federal election without knowing its illegal. Anybody know what is the first thing I should do that can help me when I apply for citizenship ? other than getting immigration attorney ?

I know it was a really big mistake since I just found out thats its illegal. 

Advice will be appreciated. Thanks

De-register yourself as others suggest. 

 

Choices:

• Move state or change your address, get another job elsewhere, lay low and stop posting on a public forum where IP addresses and other information can easily be obtained. Give you time to think and plan as this is possibly not going to disappear in the short-term.
• The whole voting process and such things as the DVL offices being "targetted" to get sign-ups highlights one of many issues. For whatever reason what has happened has happened.
• Get a lawyer, admit it and face likely consequences and a public trial and fall-out .... "you are one of those who faked the election ..you can see the headlines and Twitter" as someone has found one - hope you are also not Russian.
• Join a religious order and hope a greater being will help you.

You certainly woke up the people in the forum .....it also is not a "only you" problem before all post telling you the world is going to end.

 

http://www.kraftlaw.com/legal-articles/voting-while-holding-a-green-card-can-cause-immigrants-major-problems/

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/nyregion/17voting.html

http://www.timesargus.com/articles/dmv-glitch-registers-voters-erroneously/