PA Voter open carries at polling place - 2nd amenment...

[hexola]

http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=182818&format=html

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. — Franklin County Judge John R. Walker followed the law Tuesday in returning a concealed weapons permit to Gregory Rotz, but the judge said he would prefer the state ban firearms from polling places.

“Personally, I’m going to contact my legislator and see if they can write a law because, if you have people walking around voting places with firearms, you are beginning to look like a Third World country down in Venezuela or somewhere,” the judge said after ordering the return to Rotz of the permit, which had been revoked by former Sheriff Robert Wollyung.

[virginia mountainman]

1. YEA!! Another gun free zone..

I guess they WANT mass killings at polling places...

After all, that is what tends to happen when you make places "gun free zones"

[krispos42]

3. Actually, I was wondering about voter intimidation

Republicans like to have volunteers with caging lists hang around and challange people that are probably Democratic voters, among their other election-grabbing tricks.

Should open carry be prohibited at polling places? A polling place is, after all, a place were votes for our government officials are tabulated, and voter intimidation is illegal.

For many people, some Republican thug with an obnoxiously huge handgun strapped to their waist and asking questions might be intimidating.

[SteveM]

4. This happened in a Texas county during the '04 election...

From poll workers I talked to, I gathered this info:

A GOP poll-watcher, wearing a firearm in the open, was interfering with voters by "correcting" the judge, explaining the ballot, and interrogating voters. A poll-watcher's duties are to watch the voting process and if he/she witnesses a problem with voting procedure, to bring it up to the judge. For violating this duty, the poll-watcher should be (and was) replaced by another. But this gun-wearing bit (not concealed) was meant to intimidate. Unfortunately, it went on for some hours because the judge did not have the watcher removed which is his right and duty.

I have no problem with someone wearing a concealed weapon to the polls as this, by definition, would not intimidate voters.

[Jackeen]

5. Presuming that our hypothetical gun carrier followed the other rules

I don't see the firearm as being an issue. It would intimidate all people equally, just as much as a poll-worker with dreadlocks and tattoos would probably intimidate a little old lady. Won't intimidate them into voting a certain way, may just make them raise an eyebrow.

[Recursion]

6. The answer is to keep people from pointlessly hanging around polling places

What is John Q. Armed Nutjob doing hanging around intimidating voters, armed or not? Get in, vote, and get out, or observe from specified observation areas, or hand out sample ballots from outside the booth.

[krispos42]

2. Here's a working link...

http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=182862&format=html

<snip>

Many of the approximately 50 people in the courtroom, mostly Second Amendment rights supporters, applauded as Redding handed the permit to Rotz's attorney, Steve Rice. A number of the spectators came armed and checked their handguns with sheriff's deputies before entering the courthouse.


Approximately 6,000 people have concealed weapons permits in Franklin County, according to the Sheriff's Office. A permit is needed in Pennsylvania to carry a concealed weapon, but not to carry one openly, said Sheriff Dane Anthony, who was on his second day on the job.

Carrying a weapon in a vehicle is considered concealing it, which is one reason many people get the permits, Anthony said.

<snip>

"I would like to sincerely commend Mr. Rotz's supporters for their professionalism and cooperation with my office," Anthony said. A device called an unloading station was set up outside the building and the weapons were checked in at a table outside Anthony's office. The supporters then re-entered the building through another entrance to go through the metal detector.

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