Local Washington

Video Your Vote

WETA is pleased to participate in Video Your Vote, a YouTube Election Day project in partnership with PBS.

Up to thirteen citizens from the Washington, D.C. area will be "video correspondents" for the project. They'll videotape their Election Day stories on November 4 and will then share their videos through YouTube.

PBS will screen the videos and may select some of the best to be showcased on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and on other PBS on-air and online Election Day coverage. Together, the footage contributed by citizen correspondents nationwide will create a rich video record of this historic election as it unfolds on November 4.

To find a diversity of citizen correspondents from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., WETA has teamed up with the Northern Virginia Urban League and ColorinColorado.org. Each citizen correspondent will receive a Flip Video camcorder (to keep!) so they can easily take and share their video stories on Election Day.

How to "Video Your Vote"

This is a strictly non-partisan project. Please see the "Video Your Vote" handout included with your camera for ideas on video topics and tips for videotaping and uploading. (Also included are some simple guidelines to ensure that your filming is not seen as intimidating by other voters.)

Here are six steps to video your vote:

Come up with story ideas

Brainstorm story ideas that you'll want to videotape on Election Day or before. You could, for example, interview friends, family, or neighbors on why they chose to vote this year, or videotape long lines at the polling place or last minute campaigning.
Videotape five stories

Videotape and upload at least five stories as early as possible on November 4. Each video should be at least 30 seconds long.
Follow the rules

If you'll be videotaping at a polling place, be sure to keep the following in mind:
- Polling places in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia have "buffer zones" of about 100 feet around each polling location. We recommend that you not film within these buffer zones and if asked to leave the area or stop filming, please comply with such requests. WETA is not to be held liable for your actions if you choose to participate in this project.
- In Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, there are no laws preventing citizens from videotaping inside their polling place. However, if requested by any polling official that you cease taping, please honor this request.
- If a poll worker asks you to leave the polling place, do so immediately. (If you think they are in the wrong, call Election Protection at 1-866-OUR-VOTE).
- Before conducting an interview, always get the voter's permission (on video if possible). Explain why you are filming.
- If someone is feeling intimidated by the presence of your video camera, please stop filming.
- When filming, try not to inadvertently videotape the faces of other voters.
- Don't engage voters in political conversations while filming. Don't wear campaign buttons or t-shirts. Avoid any appearance of trying to influence someone else’s vote.
- Don't photograph or film someone else’s ballot.
- DO capture the unique, interesting, and honest stories of Election Day from your neighborhood!

Upload your video to YouTube as soon as possible on November 4

Log into your YouTube account. (If you don't have one, it's easy to sign up or you can use your Google account to sign in). Plug in your Flip Video to the USB port of a computer. Go to http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_upload
Tag your video so it can be found

In the Video Description field, add your first name and location of where the video was taken. Under Date and Map Options, add the date, city, and state. Under Tags, include "videoyourvote" and "wetatv26" as tags. (If your video shows a problem at the polls, also add the tag "pollproblem.")
Submit your video to "Video Your Vote"

After you've uploaded your video to YouTube, go to http://www.youtube.com/videoyourvote. Add your video by clicking on "Submit a Video" and follow the directions from there.

Thank you for participating in this project!

Terms and conditions

Your participation in this project is a voluntary contribution made by you in your sole discretion. By participating in this project you are not an employee, contractor or joint venturer of WETA, PBS or any related organization. You will not represent to any other party that you are affiliated with WETA, PBS or any related organization. You will agree to hold harmless WETA and PBS from any legal action stemming from your participation in this project. You will release WETA, PBS and other project partners from any liability whatsoever for any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the project (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to, loss or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light).

By accepting the camcorder you agree to all terms and conditions associated with this project (including those posted on other websites than this one) and release WETA and PBS from any liability related thereto.