CROWD SOURCE on Voter Intimidation: Need Help - please keep near top

[jsmirman]

Hi all -

I am embarking on a difficult endeavor to try to combat the efforts of groups like "True the Vote" to intimidate people trying to exercise our most-important and most-treasured right to vote.

My question is this, and I would imagine that the rules on this vary from not only state to state, but from district to district -

1) Assume the scenario that someone is lurking in or directly outside of a polling place (this will be illegal in some locations, not illegal in others)

2) As a private citizen, do you have the right to demand the name and/or affiliation of that person and ask him or her what purpose they have in the polling place? (I kind of doubt you would)

3) If you have some affiliation with one of the campaigns, do you have the right to demand name/affiliation/purpose from someone lurking in or directly around a polling place?

Law students serve in this capacity all the time. I was involved in GOTV, instead, in '08, but I know people who performed this function last election, and will be FB'ing them these questions.

However, as I said, I'm sure this varies from place to place.

Please only respond (although bumps are much appreciated) if you have direct knowledge on this form of a "right to challenge" in your district/state or even if you know fairly definitively about another state.

I am attempting to assist the organization of law students from around the country to serve as poll watchers combating intimidation.

The "True the Vote" stuff offended me and offends me as a Proud American.

I know, first-hand, the power of a law student announcing that they are a law student and demanding someone's name. That's not intimidation. It's simply an assurance that your actions will be cataloged by someone who knows what to do with that information. It tends to have a very ameliorative affect on people intending to intimidate people who are less knowledgeable and understandably susceptible to fear.

I will be speaking with people in the upcoming days who are in Obama's White House, and it would be really, really great to have some idea of what I am talking about. I could really use some help.

Any assistance appreciated.

[jsmirman]

1. just going to bump every now and then

any help so very appreciated

[calimary]

2. Kicking this!

And I'll be glad to do it again!

[jsmirman]

3. I know we have some very sharp attorneys and knowledgeable folks here

so I figured why not ask here, before going crazy on a fifty state truffle hunt

oh - and thanks!

[calimary]

4. Kicking again!

I'm frankly kinda tired of hearing, over and over and over again - how we have voter suppression going on and how bad it is.

WE KNOW THAT ALREADY!!!!!!!!

What I want to know is - WHAT ARE THEY DOING ABOUT IT????????

What are they DOING about it?????

Are they just moaning and groaning and hoping - or are they FIGHTING? Are they STRATEGIZING? Are they putting collectives together to be pro-active and helping people wade through the muck of the new rules and roadblocks and restrictions that are different in every state? Are they just (GOD PLEASE NO!!!!) waiting and hoping that eric holder will get off his ass and bring the full weight of the Justice Department in on this in some way?

The bad guys are AWFULLY good at figuring out how to slither in through any crack in the foundation, any tiny hole in the weather stripping, any microscopic break in the walls or window trimming. We're not. We're naive and altruistic and not enough of us are scheming conniving sneaks. And I think we need a few of those on our side. To outflank and outwit the bad guys who make a career out of this shit. Do we have ANYONE trying to anticipate where the next assault is coming from? Anyone trying to think the way they do so we have a chance to outthink and out-maneuver these assholes? Any moles? Any spies?

SOOOOO frustrating!!!!

[WillyT]

5. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[jsmirman]

6. Starting to work my contacts, too

sent out two emails to people who did pollwatching through the law school in '08.

Going to contact the Election Law prof.

Still need all the help I can get!

Would like to sound somewhere above "completely ignorant" when I speak with my Obama friends.

I'm wondering if the law students who did this in '08 had qualified as official pollwatchers somehow - this was in Northern Virginia... definitely would love to get any info anyone has!

[Earth_First]

7. "Obama friends" ?

[jsmirman]

8. I have a couple friends

in the Administration. I didn't know that about one of them until I decide to get re-involved, looked him up, and... no surprise. I knew the guy was headed for the White House. I would have bet pretty much everything on it.

Not sure what their roles are on the campaign, if any, but scheduled to find out. I actually don't know how it works if you have an official position - what that translates to in terms of campaign work (I imagine that often you're not directly involved?).

Regardless, one guy, in particular, was very pivotal in this sort of effort in '08 (while he was still a law student), so I think he can help me put in work on this.

[calimary]

13. Kick!

[99Forever]

9. Can't add info..

.. but I can kick it.

[calimary]

10. Kicking yet again!

[undergroundpanther]

11. kickitty Kick!

Voter intimidation..It's really BULLYING.A lot of abusers in the Gop .

[jsmirman]

12. We'll work on this tomorrow

and I found a few good leads from old emails from 2008!

[former-republican]

14. It's a matter for the DOJ

I would be very careful approaching someone and asking what's he or she is doing there.
Or asking for an ID

That is a matter better handled by law enforcement.
Take a pic with your phone as evidence but don't confront.

I'm sure you can call local law enforcement if they say anything to voters approaching the entrance.

[jsmirman]

15. Yeah, I don't think you're right

And believe me, I will know exactly what the rules are before engaging in anything.

I'm a law student, for God's sake.

We don't go off half-cocked.