International monitors at US polling places draw criticism

[cali]

United Nations-affiliated election monitors from Europe and central Asia will be at polling places around the U.S. looking for voter suppression activities by conservative groups, a concern raised by civil rights groups during a meeting this week. The intervention has drawn criticism from a prominent conservative-leaning group combating election fraud.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a United Nations partner on democratization and human rights projects, will deploy 44 observers around the county on Election Day to monitor an array of activities, including potential disputes at polling places.

Liberal-leaning civil rights groups met with representatives from the OSCE this week to raise their fears about what they say are systematic efforts to suppress minority voters likely to vote for President Obama.

<snip>

“They [will] observe the overall election process, not just the ballot casting,” said Giovanna Maiola, spokeswoman for OSCE. “They are focusing on a number of areas on the state level, including the legal system, election administration, the campaign, the campaign financing [and] new voting technologies used in the different states.”

<snip>

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/263141-international-monitors-at-polling-places-draw-criticism-from-voter-fraud-group

Good. And that it bugs the shit out of cheating wingnuts is great.

[Judi Lynn]

1. If only they could be everywhere, and witness every time the right-wing plants step in to bully us.

It would be absolutely helpful if the news got broadcast everywhere whenever this happened in November.

It's time the U.S. fascist storm troopers started finding it a little harder to destroy our democracy this year.

[dballance]

2. How sad is the state of our elections and society...

that we have international organizations monitoring our voting?

Didn't monitoring voting to ensure fair elections used to be the provenance of what WE in the US used to do?

[JackN415]

11. After the legal stealth of 2000...

Republicans are expanding their MO to third parties illegal activities, so that they can always dissociate from the third parties if they get caught. The thing we should fear most is not overt activities of voters' intimidation like what Clear Channel is doing, or posting threatening-looking operatives at the polling station staring down voters, but the potential manipulation of those electronic voting machines.

Once upon a time, it was totally unthinkable to me that any political organization in the US would dishonor and sully our country tradition's of democracy. I thought Richard Nixon's lesson would be the last example of someone abusing vested power of the highest office for political mean.

Alas...how wrong we are. This country is in danger of losing its democracy.

[davidpdx]

12. Isn't that the fucking truth

The US is suppose to be a model for democracy, not the butt of the joke of democracy.

Here in South Korea the presidential election will be about 6 weeks after our election. I may ask my wife if I can go with her and if they will let me stand in the booth as well to watch. The last time I waited outside. Next year I will be eligible to vote in Korean elections since I have residency. I can vote for all offices except for president I think.

[B Calm]

3. It's official, thanks to republicans we

have turned into a banana republic!

[AnnieK401]

9. Yep, guess this makes it official

Very sad.

[justiceischeap]

4. It's very telling that the party that is trying to make sure there isn't election fraud

Is against objective observers. The GOP should be shouting thanks to the sky's that OSCE is willing to observe to make sure there is no fraud. Why aren't they?

[eShirl]

5. If they have nothing to hide then what are they afraid of?

hmmm... seems I've heard that phrase before somewhere...

[AnnieK401]

6. Just 44, they need a lot more.

but thank God.

[Solly Mack]

7. K&R

[on point]

8. We desperately need them. What's more they should be standard anyway

If they are standard, then not only does it ensure better outcomes, but it avoids any kind pejorative insinuation - it is just standard practice and normal that all countries have it.

I would make it a requirement to be in the UN.

That also would open the door for some other countries (besides the US) that need it, that won't admit they need it, like some south american or middle eastern countries.

[mfcorey1]

10. The world needs to see the corruption of the right. nt