(NewsNation) — Voter intimidation and confusion over election rules have caused a stir at polling sites throughout the country. Safety remains a top priority for election officials manning the polls, but several instances of reported violence and conflict have made headlines in recent weeks. An altercation Wednesday in South Carolina reached a boiling point when an Orangeburg County poll worker hit a voter wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” hat in the face after a verbal dispute became physical, The State newspaper reported. Here’s which counties will decide the 2024 election In Florida, a Donald Trump supporter is accused of using a machete to threaten a pair of Kamala Harris supporters campaigning outside a polling place. A conflict grew violent in October, when police arrested a man accused of assaulting a 69-year-old election worker in San Antonio, Texas. Meanwhile, two ballot drop box fires raised concerns in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s what to know before heading to the polls. What is voter intimidation? Federal law says that "no person … shall intimidate, threaten, coerce … any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of (that) person to vote or to vote as he may choose." Many states have their own laws governing voter intimidation. Examples may include aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other voting qualifications, someone falsely presenting themselves as an elections official, spreading false information about voter requirements, and displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Know the rules Campaigning isn’t allowed inside polling places, but it may be allowed outside — from a certain distance. In some states, those rules extend to the clothes people wear when they vote. Minnesota, for example, bans “campaign T-shirts, buttons or literature which relate to specific candidates, official political parties or ballot questions on the ballot that day.” You can check your state’s potential restrictions here. What to do if you experience voter intimidation Anyone experiencing voter intimidation can report it to The Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (682-8683) or 888-VE-Y-VOTA (839-8682). The U.S. Department of Justice Voting Rights Hotline also takes reports at (800) 253-3931 or its TTY line at (877) 267-8971. Voters can also direct reports of intimidation to local and state officials. That includes poll workers, county clerks, elections commissioners, elections supervisors, and state boards of elections. Trump stumps in battleground states in final push ahead of election What about poll watchers? Watchers are appointed by political parties, candidates or ballot issue groups to observe some portion of the election process without interfering in the voting process, according to the Election Assistance Commission.  Watcher duties vary under state law but largely include keeping track of voter turnout for their parties and making sure that the election rules are being followed.  Poll monitors usually aren’t allowed in the area that includes voting machines or booths or the area immediately around the poll workers’ tables. What if someone challenges my voter qualifications? Almost every state has laws concerning voter challenges. In most states, a person has the opportunity to prove their eligibility in front of the officials deciding the challenge. Those could be poll workers, a board of elections, the board of canvassers or another election official, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Challenged voters may need to swear an oath, prove their identity, attend a hearing, or produce a witness. Many states allow the challenges to go before boards or courts. Some states resolve challenges on the spot, while others may require the challenged voter to cast a special ballot. The validity of that ballot would be determined either at a hearing or during the canvassing process. In some states, voters who don’t satisfy the challenge can request a provisional ballot. You can learn more about your state’s processes here.