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ThoughtCriminal

(14,047 posts)
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 10:19 PM Nov 2012

Poll watchers do not have to "Intimidate" to suppress the vote

All they have to do is slow down the process. Mickey Mouse challenges, slow verification and scrutiny, little disputes and silly arguments with the poll staff. They don't have to disqualify a single voter to achieve their objective: stop people from getting to vote. Make the lines get longer and longer. Delay until people cannot stay because they have to get back to work, pick up the children, not be late for an appointment.

Anything that clogs the process, suppresses the vote.

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enough

(13,259 posts)
1. Having been a poll worker several times (as opposed to a watcher),
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 10:30 PM
Nov 2012

I think this is going to alienate poll workers regardless of their party affiliations. There's a sort of obsession that comes over poll workers. It has something to do with believing in the election process and the attention to minute detail that is required. They are not going to cooperate with or tolerate anyone who is making the process more difficult or less accurate.

So whatever disruption is happening will have to be outside the polling place. That still leaves a lot of room for serious damage to be done, but in the end it may have the effect of waking up more people to the outrages of voter suppression. It will become clear that voter suppression is actually election suppression.

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
2. Any poll watcher who tries that will get thrown out on their ear.
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 10:32 PM
Nov 2012

There are Democratic lawyers and poll watchers inside and outside the polls, too. You better believe that if the GOOP try to obstruct, delay, or slow down the process without good cause will be challenged, and if they persist, will be ordered to leave by the Election Officers.

yellowcanine

(35,699 posts)
3. Poll watchers are not allowed by law to do any of that. If they see anything they can only note it
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 10:39 PM
Nov 2012

and report it to whoever it is they report to. Then if there is anything to it the lawyers have to get a judge to agree before anything official happens. And it is likely that nothing is going to happen on election day unless something clearly egregious is going on.

ThoughtCriminal

(14,047 posts)
4. Depends on the state
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 11:08 PM
Nov 2012
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/02/us-usa-campaign-pollwatchers-idUSBRE8A116G20121102

"In some states a poll watcher, described as a "challenger" in some state laws, can contest whether a voter is eligible to vote or has already voted.

The practice of allowing people who may have received only basic training as poll watchers before Election Day to question a voter's eligibility concerns some legal analysts and others who say the monitors' activity could deny some people their right to vote by slowing down the process so much that some people get frustrated and leave before voting."

yellowcanine

(35,699 posts)
5. If they try that the U.S. Attorney General can intervene. Intimidation/impeding voting in a Federal
Mon Nov 5, 2012, 11:53 PM
Nov 2012

election is a violation of Federal law. http://www.justice.gov/usao/nh/press/2012/ElectionFraud.html

Regardless of state law, poll watchers cannot question a voter's eligibility to vote in a Federal election. Only Election judges can question a voter's eligibility and there are very specific rules they have to follow in doing so.

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