A bit of context here. I live with my extreme MAGA parents and just recently escaped the MAGA cult. The voting machines where I live spit out a sort of paper that says who you voted for on it. You put that paper in a separate machine that counts your vote. It is possible for someone to see who you voted for if they see this paper. My saw mine in 2020 to make sure i voted for trump (which i did for the first and last time). Here are some tips for those who are forced to vote in person with their family.

1. Bring a voter guide or sample ballot to the polls. Some states (including mine) don't have straight ticket voting, and some don't even show the party for the canidates. Write R or D on the sample ballot for every canidate. If your family members see this, they won't know who you're voting for, all they know is who's an R and who's a D.

2. Use a code system. Something like writing "boo" next to D canidates on your sample ballot/voter guide can make it look like you are voting against them. I like this because Former President Barack Obama said "don't boo, vote" at the DNC and a Harris rally in PA. When you get to the polls, you can cast your vote in secret.

3. Choose a voting machine away from where your family memhers are voting. This will make it impossible for them to see your selections, even if they peek at your screen like my mom did in 2020. I chose the machine next to her, so let your family go into the polling place first, they will likely see you letting them go ahead as a courtesy.

4. If your voting machines print out a ticket with who you voted for, carry this to the counting machine with the printed side facing your sample ballot/voter guide so it's impossible for someone else to see it. You can also wait for your family to put their votes in the machine first, then they will be instructed to leave the area after their ballot gets counted

5. If all else fails and someone (even your family) is trying to peek at your screen or the ballot, don't be afraid to make a scene since this will get poll worker's attention. Saying "hey stop trying to look at my ballot" will make it very obvious about what is going on. When it is safe, file a tip with the DOJ for voter intimidation.

If your family asks who you voted for, don't worry about lying. If you live with extreme MAGA people, chances are this is not the first time you had to lie.

Stay safe, vote blue. We Are Not Going Back.