GOP-Backed Poll-Watching Measure Sparks Voter Intimidation Fears In Pennsylvania

[workinclasszero]

GOP-Backed Poll-Watching Measure Sparks Voter Intimidation Fears In Pennsylvania
Bill would allow poll watchers from outside the district.
09/22/2016 02:24 am ET Ed Mazza Overnight Editor

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are trying to quickly push through a measure to would allow people from outside a voting district to watch over voters.

The bill would take effect in time for this year’s presidential election in a state where Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he will be the victim of voter fraud. He has provided no evidence to back that accusation.

Raging Chicken Press, a progressive website focused on Pennsylvania politics, reported that the bill was being swiftly pushed through the state’s GOP-controlled House of Representatives. The bill would “allow Trump supporters from around the state to ‘watch’ over the polls in minority communities throughout the state,” the website noted.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pennsylvania-voter-intimidation_us_57e34b46e4b08d73b82f93af?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics

[lonestarnot]

1. Oh that should be a shit show. LOL Don't be scared people. Vote.

[Stellar]

5. Remember the last time they tried to discourage voters

...and the lines kept getting longer and longer. But they waited.

[lonestarnot]

6. I don't forget things like that!

[apcalc]

2. Pretty sure Gov Wolf would veto this bill.

[meow2u3]

7. The repuke state legislature doesn't have a veto-proof majority

So they couldn't override the inevitable Wolf veto, so the rethugs are just pissing in the wind trying to legalize out-of-district voter intimidation.

Even if this does become law, they wouldn't count on turnabout being fair play, i.e., Democratic poll watchers giving repuke voters a taste of their own medicine.

[Cosmocat]

3. This already is allowed and I am absolutely confident

I have done it. I was a poll watcher at a precinct that was not mine in 08.

This is routine in presidential and some mid term elections.

Both parties go to the country election's office well in advance and get approval for a set number of poll watchers. They have to clarify what precincts they have been approved to have poll watchers at and the precinct officials are notified ahead of time that there maybe poll watchers.

The parties then identify who they are going to get to watch polls and where and anyone who goes to a poll to watch has to have the form with them.

I currently work as an election official. I can say with absolute confidence, no one can just show up and "poll watch" and when we are notified ahead of time and someone shows up with the proper form they may "watch" but only in the manner as designated and if they were to not behave appropriately our judge would ask them to leave and if they didn't call the elections office to get a sheriff to come and get them out.

First, I have a VERY hard time seeing any of this POS blovating Trumpster idiots actually having the guts to spend any time in an actual urban area, much less walk into an isolated polling area and do it for more than a minute without running out in fear. But, I am am absolutely certain that the election workers in that poll would have no part, whatsoever, of some jackass acting a fool in their poll.

[Sugarcoated]

8. Yep

I'm from PA and this sounds right. I've worked at the polls, and I've also "poll watched"

[DeminPennswoods]

10. Yes

I was a judge of elections in a Philadelphia precinct for 4 years. One year we did have poll-watchers, but we were notified and the poll-watchers had to come with poll-watcher ID, iirc. There are also strict rules about what the poll-watcher can and cannot do. For ex, they must sit in a designated area and are not allowed to interact or interfere with voters. It's also a little known fact that inside the poll, the judge of elections is God. The judge can throw anyone out that the judge believes is intimidating or interfering with the voters up to and including the police. You also may not display anything partisan campaign related like buttons, stickers, hats, t-shirts, etc. These have to be removed or covered up when you enter the poll.

Anyway, Gov Wolf is a Democrat and he'd surely veto this bill should it reach his desk. The R's don't have the votes to override.

[bettyellen]

11. I'm confused by the mixing up of precinct and district here....

[democrattotheend]

4. PA already allows poll watchers

Unlike many states it does not ban politicking near a polling place. I worked as a poll watcher there in high school and I was from out of state.

What does this bill change?

[Cosmocat]

9. This is example 84,361 of how childish republicans in elective office are

First, how they don't know WTF is really out there, and second how the first hair brained idea that comes up for them sends them in a furious scramble to try to do the thing their whole scam says they are against - over reach by government.

I don't know if there is anything not in the article that would be new, but as most here have noted, it already exists.

[DeminPennswoods]

15. 100 ft rule

There can't be any campaigning within 100' of the poll.

[democrattotheend]

16. That must be new

10 years ago they had me sit right in the polling place and greet people with cards suggesting whom to vote for.

[DeminPennswoods]

18. Been the law for a long time

I've never seen anyone sitting inside a poll passing out sample ballots. That shouldn't have been allowed.

But, the thing most people don't know or forget is that election board at your poll has usually been in place for years and is elected from the community that polling place serves. You end up knowing everyone. There can be leeway on what a particular board might allow although it's not technically legal.

[democrattotheend]

12. Pennsylvania has a Democratic governor

I doubt he will sign this bill.

[Bill USA]

13. extremely important. Post on FB, everywhere

[Bill USA]

14. I guess then, people could watch, record the people watching the polls... only if they're wearing

brown shirts.

[SMC22307]

17. Thanks for the introduction to Raging Chicken Press.

Its founder signed the About page with "Bread and Roses"... he's gotta be OK. Might be moving back to PA within the next couple o' years and this site looks like a good way to get caught up on local politics.

[jimw81]

19. The don't have votes to over ride wolf's veto

[TheBlackAdder]

20. Just in minority communities? Gee, that doesn't sound like a fair and legal bill.