Tea partiers will be monitoring your polling place--Not a joke!

[CoffeeCat]

I first heard about "True the Vote" and www.truethevote.com on the Glenn Beck show. Glenn was discussing "voter fraud"; how rampant it was and how his audience could get involved to ensure that the elections were fair and free of fraud.

I am astounded that this is happening in our upcoming November election, but it is true and it is disgusting. It is illegal to put partisan signs outside of the polls. However, it is apparently legal to put very partisan people inside the polls to intimidate people under the guise of "protecting elections."

Most right-wing radio programs routinely discuss True the Vote and insist that their listeners go to the website and sign up to become volunteers who monitor their local elections for fraud inside polling places on the day of the election. It is clear that this effort is mainly recruiting "volunteers" through the most rabid of right-wing radio programs--even though True The Vote is touted as "bipartisan." It is most certainly not. It has clear connections with the Heritage Foundation.

Can you believe this? Every single polling place in America could be monitored by right-wing tea-party fanatics who have no authority to do this. These rabid tea partiers have been convinced that fraud is everywhere, so they will foolishly go into these polling places, amped up on Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, and looking for a fight.

How is there presence not voter intimidation?

True the Vote lists the following "initiatives" on their website: (supporting link http://www.truethevote.org/about/):

(1.) --"Mobilizing and training volunteers who are willing to work as election monitors"

These tea partiers are citizens with a very rabid political agenda against Obama and anyone who votes for him. I'd like to know on what basis they would challenge anyone who is voting? They have no authority to question anyone or to accuse anyone of voter fraud, but True the Vote is empowering them with powers that they do not have! Check out the next "initiative."

(2.) --"Providing a support system for our volunteers that includes... a call bank to phone in problem reports, information on videotaping at polling places, and security as necessary."

So True The Vote is training tea partiers to run security at polling places? This training insinuates that these tea partiers have authority and power over all voters. These volunteers are average citizens--our neighbors. They have no authority to be questioning me, or taking notes on your behavior. However, True The Vote is training these partisan tea partiers to exert authority.

Think you can't be more disgusted? Read the next "initiative.":

(3.) --"Efforts to validate existing registration lists, including the use of pattern recognition software to detect problem areas."

So, your local tea-partier and Glenn Beck fan will be combing registration lists and flagging what they feel are "problem areas" and using unproven and questionable "pattern recognition software"? We've heard a great deal about voter rolls being purged of thousands of legitimate voters in untold numbers of cities. Is this is the work of these tea partiers?

This is just insane! True The Vote doesn't hide the fact that this is a tea-party effort. From their website:

"True The Vote began out of experiences during the 2008 election cycle of the Harris County, Texas Tea Party organization, King Street Patriots."--according to their website. Clearly, this is voter intimidation and harassment propagated by a partisan, right-wing initiative.

According to the following article (link at bottom of this post), True The Vote "test drove" their tactics during the Scott Walker recall election. After the election, "True the Vote congratulated their poll watchers on “a victory of their own making.”"

According to the same article, "...a voting hotline received numerous calls from college students claiming True the Vote “poll observers” challenged their right to vote...Others were hassled for proof of residency."

Read this article from the Washington Post about True The Vote, which spotlights this shady, partisan group:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/election-observers-proliferate-at-polls/2012/08/24/1452c3ba-ed4f-11e1-a80b-9f898562d010_story.html

**********************So, the question is---What are we going to do about this???*********************

Article Link:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/28/748841/tea-party-group-builds-poll-watcher-network-to-discourage-voting-create-false-record-of-voter-fraud/

[leveymg]

1. They won't be allowed inside polling places unless the GOP gives them credentials as poll watchers.

The election officials have the power to throw out poll watchers who are acting intrusively. Also, anybody who hassles people in line can be told to leave the grounds, and if they refuse, they will be arrested.

[CoffeeCat]

30. But they were allowed in at the Scott Walker vote...

These tea-party jerks were present, inside the polls, during the Scott Walker recall vote.

They intimidated people. According to the following article--they did approach people. They questioned their voting credentials.

Many people were intimidated enough to call a hotline after they were at the polls. This is the problem. When the intimidation happens, and it impedes someone from voting or upsets someone--and they leave without voting...BAM. They've achieved their goal. Who cares about some hotline. The vote is lost.

I'm concerned that these jackals have had a few years to perfect their voter-suppression tactics. They've got talk radio and some trial runs. I bet they come out swinging and try to do some damage.

I think we all need to be aware that this element in out there. People need to realize that these "volunteers" have no authority, and I hope that people become so informed, aware and vigilant that they call the police if someone tries to insinuate anything to anyone who is just trying to vote.

Maybe we need to have our own response to them--which renders their intimidation tactics useless. People go into a polling place and they assume that people who are taking notes and people who approach them or question them--have some sort of authority. Especially, in poor areas or areas with senior citizens. It may be easier to intimidate or feed them disinformation.

I don't think we should assume that these efforts will have no effect. It's possible that this craven ploy will have little affect, but I think we need to minimize it to ZERO, but creating awareness about these thugs.

I don't think anyone should go into a polling place without a cell phone/camera or at least a friend--which would go a long way in protecting themselves from this thuggery.

[leveymg]

34. I've done election protection in VA and PA. Unlawful challenges hasn't been the big problem.

It's usually voters -- occasional voters and people newly registered -- who have been unfairly scrubbed from voting rolls. That problem is usually dealt with the following day with a Provisional Ballot. Not the most desirable result, but everyone gets to vote. I've never seen a Democratic Voter walk away from a polling place that I've been working, or anyone being overtly harassed.

I, myself, was threatened by GOP poll watchers who called the Constable for no other reason than I was there and they didn't recognize me as a local. I had credentials, stood my ground and was polite. My partner was a local attorney and she really had words with some of the GOP poll watchers, who she knew. The Constable didn't arrest any of us. That was in West Chester PA and some other locations in the Main Line area near Phil in 2006. But that's different, and to be expected in some places.

[CoffeeCat]

37. I really hope that you are right...

....and I hope that this won't be a big problem.

My concern is that no one ever thought their votes would be switched right in front of their eyes on a voting machine. People saw it happen and were caught off guard. Now, the response would be more rapid.

I don't want people to get caught off guard. People should know that if a citizen from "True the Vote" tries to intimidate them or questions them, that they need to call the police. Voters should know that they have the right to report them.

I do think the tea-party influence is greatly overstated and magnified by the obnoxiousness of right-wing radio. These people are a tiny minority in the Republican party. However, if they can get even 100 volunteers infiltrating voting places and intimidating voters who are doing nothing wrong--possibly even giving out bad information--then it could have an affect.

I don't want it to have any affect at all.

[leveymg]

39. From what I've seen, in most polling places the Election Workers are fair and won't tolerate any

disruptions of voting or harassment of voters. Many of them work the same polls for years, know the ropes, and are proud to doing a good thing for their communities. They "own" the polling places, and don't tolerate BS. I haven't seen any real problems with voter intimidation, the machines (that I can tell), or the count.

As Democratic poll watchers, most of our job is double-checking that those whose names aren't in the book are actually registered voters, know where to go if they're at the wrong location, and if they aren't able to cast a regular ballot that they receive a Provisional Ballot and understand what they have to do to follow-up.

[Botany]

2. Please have them @ one of the polls where I will be doing election protection work @

They have no legal standing and can not challenge any voter in Ohio .... only a poll
worker can do that.

[nanabugg]

7. Natural Guard should be called out all over. There is going to be a lot of violence, I fear. nt

[Botany]

10. Violence will not happen anyplace where I am working ....

..... but I promise you that:

1) They are bluffing and will not have the #s to do anything.

2) They will not get the credentials to get inside the building
and they will have to stay back 100' from the entrance to the
building.

3) If they do get the credentials to be inside the building where
the voting is going on they will not be allowed to challenge 1 voter's
right to vote because only a poll worker is allowed to do that.

[CoffeeCat]

32. Then how did they get into the polling places during the Walker recall?

Listen, I'd like to believe what you are saying. However, we all know that these thugs like to make up their own rules.

I just don't want to be sitting on a message board, the day after the election---and be commenting on all of the voter suppression that took place, and bemoaning it.

These people were inside polling places in Wisconsin, directly challenging voters during the Scott Walker recall. There was a new law passed in Wisconsin, that college students who had gone home for an extended period of time--could not vote. I think they pass these laws, as an excuse to approach voters and to question them and intimidate them.

Here is a quote from an article about these tea partiers infiltrating a polling place and having direct and intimidating contact with voters:

"Wisconsin’s election to recall Gov. Scott Walker (R) was the most recent test drive for True the Vote’s vote suppression project. During the June recall election, a voting hotline received numerous calls from college students claiming True the Vote “poll observers” challenged their right to vote. These poll observers exploited a provision in the state’s new GOP-sponsored voter ID law to claim it was illegal for students home for the summer to vote in local precincts if they had been home for less than 28 days. Others were hassled for proof of residency." http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/28/748841/tea-party-group-builds-poll-watcher-network-to-discourage-voting-create-false-record-of-voter-fraud/


I know some of these tea partiers. They are rabid. These are the same freaks who are convinced that Obama is a Marxist, Socialist, Kenyan, God-hater who hates America. It is likely that the most rabid of the tea party would sign up to do this dirty work. These people have an ax to grind and they'll be more than happy to intimidate voters and do it with precision--because Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have told them that they're patriots if they do so.

I think the answer is creating awareness, especially in the poor and urban areas where these tactics are most likely to take place--in swing states such as Ohio, Florida, PA, Wisconsin and others.

[Maeve]

47. Different states have different rules

Ohio has very strict rules about observers and what happened in Wisconsin should NEVER be allowed in Ohio, period. (And yeah, I checked my BOE training manual before posting this!) Interference with voters must not be tolerated.

[CoffeeCat]

48. That's great to hear about Ohio...

It has given me hope, to watch events unfolding in Ohio. The Republicans tried so hard to suppress the vote with their
initial shenanigans that restricted voting hours in Democratic strongholds. It is amazing to me that those restrictions were
struck down and that a judge ordered your Sec of State to appear--when he said that he would not comply.

It's like the guys with the capes are winning and thwarting the bad guys!

Great news out of Ohio again, to hear that Ohio takes seriously all of this. I suppose your state has been through so much since 2000, with loads of dirty tricks. I'll never forget the pictures of long lines outside of Ohio polling places in 2000.

Ohio is such a pivotal state; so important in our elections. All states are important, but Ohio is so critical. It sounds like your state has finely tuned its ability to fend off these scurrilous Republican tactics.

GREAT news!!!

[arcane1]

3. They'll get to witness first-hand that more people will be voting Dem

[Le Taz Hot]

4. I can't imagine they have enough numbers

to actually pull this off. Remember, their numbers and influence have been falsely touted by the MSM. It was the Wag the Dog situation wherein the PTB in the MSM were ordered to emphasize the importance of the teaklanners as opposed to the teaklanners actually making an impact and being newsworthy. The problem is that it's gone to their heads and they are fool enough to actually think they have an impact. In the real world, they don't.

Besides, most Americans are pretty protective about their right to vote unassailed. Once challenged these dickless wonders will back down pretty quick.

[progressivebydesign]

11. I'm trying to imagine the lazy ass teabaggers I know committing to do that.

But the Koch Bros money is obviously paying for this ruse. Whether they will HIRE people, as they did at the start of the tea party, remains to be seen. But don't be surprised if the "volunteers" are actually paid thugs. Remember the Tea party started as a fake grassroots group, paid for by the Koch's. They hired people off Craigslist to recruit, on commission.

[Raven]

5. Not in my Republican town...

I was a poll watcher in 2008 and I was only allowed to sit quietly and watch. My town fathers, who are mostly old guard Republicans, would never allow the vote to be disrupted. Contrary to what rabid Republicans and "baggers think, there is still a deep respect for the integrity of the vote in this country...I truly believe.

[summerschild]

23. Depends on where you are. My daughter was in Mississippi just prior to 2008 election,

in a hospital waiting room awaiting the birth of her half-sister's first child. She lives in Tennessee and didn't know most of the friends and family she was seated with, and they knew her only by name or relationship to the mother.

Chatter turned to the elections and several of the women said they worked on the polls and recounted their success at turning Blacks away. One bragged you only need to have the "right people" stationed outside and she knew exactly who to put there.

Needless to say, when she returned home, my daughter called the number that had been given to report voter suppression tactics in 2008, reported what she heard and warned them to watch poll activity in that county.

This was in a very rural, many small town/communities area of Mississippi. I know it's hard to envision - but going into those small towns in that part of the state and observing race relations is like turning the pages back 40 years. I've been "next door" in Tennessee for 65+ years and it just hasn't moved forward much. It's heart breaking to watch.

[SomethingFishy]

6. "What are we going to do about this?"

Um.. Laugh.. Shower them with tea bags...

Do they not see the irony in claiming they are "patriots" while they are trying to keep people from voting

And how many cases of voter fraud have there been in the last 10 years? 20?

Just another case of Republicans protecting America from scary things that don't exist.

[subterranean]

14. Ten cases since 2000.

And in Pennsylvania, which has passed one of the strictest voter ID laws, there are no documented cases of in-person voter-impersonation fraud, ever.

http://www.usatoday.com/USCP/PNI/Front%20Page/2012-08-20-PNI0820met-voter-fraudPNIBrd_ST_U.htm

[budkin]

8. Good luck with that

They'll have their bag asses thrown out

[progressivebydesign]

9. I'd like to see them try and disrupt the nice ladies that run our polls & give out homemade cookies

It would NOT go over well at all. The ladies of the polls here, have bee a team for 30 years.. they will not stand for it.

[warrprayer]

12. I was reading

... something from a group in Minnesota calling themselves "Integrity in Elections" or something. These whackos were telling their members to follow voters they found "suspicious" especially in busses (translate from black churches) and take their plate numbers! These people are truly a danger to democracy. This is brownshirt stuff, they aren't even pretending anymore.

[KansDem]

13. They misspelled "Screw"

Or did they mean to say "Scrue?"

I can't tell with TeaBaggers...

[msanthrope]

15. Call the cops if they refuse to present credentials. nt

[RKP5637]

16. They should have a good time of it here where most people vote by mail well in

advance of elections. I guess they can hang out by the mail boxes for weeks. Teabaggers bring a whole new concept to the saying "Go Get a Life."

[janlyn]

17. Large base

Well I don't know if they have a large enough base everywhere,but here in Northwest Ar. there is a large group.

Believe me when I tell you that they certainly don't want to approach me !!!

I question everything. So anyone coming up to me and acting authoritive is going to set off alarm bells.And they are going to get a long list of questions in order for me to confirm their authority.

If they are pretenders then they will not only get a mouthful from me,I will do my best to either get them removed or arrested.

I will not get angry,I will not get even,I will get ahead !!!!

He who loses control, Loses!!!

[randome]

20. That is the very best philosophy!

[randome]

18. With this kind of 'in-your-facism' -or, as I like to call it- 'in-your-fascism' going on...

...combined with the desperation of Tea Partiers and the GOP, I expect a few fist fights to break out on election day.

[Ikonoklast]

19. Last year some dumbass in my town went to a polling place with a teabag stapled to his hat.

One of the nice old ladies asked him if he wanted some hot water.

[Sanddancer]

21. Mess with their heads. Go in to the polling place more than once.

[frylock]

26. use a fake mustache

[Sanddancer]

27. A big south of the border sized one.

[arcane1]

22. Upon further thought, I'm actually thinking about signing up for this

If for no other reason than to see what kind of info they are giving out, plans, strategy, etc.

[Initech]

24. The Glenn Beck voter fraud response team.

[MNBrewer]

25. Ask the election judge to indicate any Republican poll watchers and give them a good looking over

from head to toe and back, then walk away shaking your head. That's what I'm going to do.

[leveymg]

28. I see mostly the same GOP poll workers during each election, and we are always civil. No hassles.

No sense in giving anyone a hard time who has just as much right to be there as we do. If anyone hassles you, tell an election official - it's their job to facilitate and protect your right to vote.

[MNBrewer]

41. If that's the hardest time anyone gives the vote suppression faction

They're having a pretty good life.

[leveymg]

42. It's a quiet, stable BlueDistrict. But I've seen GOP nastiness directed at Dem election protection

workers at a polling stations elsewhere. In 2006, I was working a Congressional election for DCCC in central PA. We did a circuit of polling places, some of them in a very, very wealthy area near Main Line, Philly. Huge estates, stone houses and churches. Old money. Not used to seeing Democratic outsiders.

The local GOP poll workers saw us arrive, and called the Constable who looked menacing but didn't arrest anyone, even after one of us (a local woman lawyer) and one of them (a local GOP matron) who knew each other from past elections, had a screaming and cursing match with each other.

I know it can be very different elsewhere, particularly in Red States.

[porphyrian]

29. I'll show them my ID if they show me theirs.

Otherwise, they can go fuck themselves.

[leveymg]

40. Nobody can see your ID except the nice Election Official ladies at the desk.

If someone else wants to see your ID, tell a poll worker or Dem poll worker or election protection person.

[sofa king]

31. My suggestion:

Promise to photograph, identify, and publicly display their names and pictures so that future employers can check applicants against that data.

Hey, if they want to be out in the open, and it's legal, what do they have to worry about? They are only doing their civic duty as they see it, and others will surely understand....

[NOLALady]

33. I wonder who will monitor

the tea-bagger fanatics. Maybe, the fake "Black Panthars".

[Joey Liberal]

35. I will not be kind to any Tea Baggers at my polling place

Just saying............

[Flashmann]

36. Tea partiers will be monitoring

Personally,I welcome them......I'm not the slightest bit intimidated by mental deficients...In fact,I wouldn't mind if they came into the booth with,and watch while I vote D right down the line.......Fuck them.....

[xmas74]

38. If I notice any kind of intimidation I'll call my local police department and

sheriff's department, notifying them about an assault. In Missouri assault is physical, verbal, and any nonverbal form that intimidates the victim.

We have them here and if I actually see any kind of intimidation I'll call the police.

[leveymg]

44. Interfering with an election or a voter is also a violation of State Law in most places.

No need to get creative in swearing out a complaint, unless someone really does assault you. Best to get an Election Official involved first or as a witness. If they make a complaint about harassment of a voter, the perp is going to get arrested and led off in handcuffs.

[NightWatcher]

43. and (we) poll watchers will be watching the teabaggers

...and calling the cops on them and taking their pictures and video if they try to dissuade anyone from voting.

Our Dem HQ (Duval-Jax, FL) has been on to them and part of our plan is to have poll watchers inside and outside of the polling places in democratic areas. We will be practicing during the early voting dates and putting plans into effect as the need arises. We'll have monitors patrolling parking lots for illegal campaigning as well. One thing I love about cell phones we can take their picture and report them just as easy as they can photograph others.

[leveymg]

46. Have you seen voters actually being challenged or hassled in Duval?

Just curious - want to compare it with my own experience as Election Protection, which has been pretty much non-eventful.

[NightWatcher]

49. not yet, voting hasnt started yet, but in a battleground state, we're getting ready for anything

we hope that the early voting will give us an idea what to expect on election day

[WillyT]

45. K & R !!!

[nc4bo]

50. Al Sharpton showing this now. He specifically brought up True The Vote. nt

[nc4bo]

52. List of states True the Vote is trying to infiltrate....

Almost forgot to add the link. http://www.truethevote.org/news/letters-to-the-state-political-chairs

Letters to the State Political Chairs

TRUE the VOTE is actively seeking opportunities to speak with state political party leaders and provide nonpartisan Election Observer Training. We've sent letters and emails to Democrat and Republican Party Chairs in 17 states (so far).
Here are letters sent to both the Democratic and Republican parties of the states.

Colorado Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Florida Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Iowa Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Indiana Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Michigan Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Minnesota Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Montana Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
North Carolina Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
North Dakota Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Nebraska Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
New Hampshire Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
New Mexico Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Nevada Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Ohio Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Texas Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Virginia Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair
Wisconsin Democrat Party Chair & Republican Party Chair

[CoffeeCat]

57. Look at that...all swing states!

Tell me this isn't about chipping away at legitimate votes!

They don't care about election integrity. What they are doing is trying to intimidate 1-2 percent of Democrats into NOT voting--by being low-rent bullies who are used to do the dirty work of thug Republicans.

Screw these people. They're so damn dumb. One minute they're waxing poetic about the Constitution. The next they're subverting democracy because Glenn Beck talked them into it and convinced them that this is their civic duty. You must do this!! American is counting on you!!

We just have to accept that a very moronic portion of the Republican party is just a bunch of outrageous idiots.

I'll be taking my phone to the polls with me and starting up the video even before I enter the door. I'm telling everyone I know to do the same.

This is ridiculous that we have to be concerned about the misplaced foolishness of these buffoons, when it comes to voting!!

[fascisthunter]

51. good luck with that you right wing cowards

[Gothmog]

53. I am running voter protection operations in my county

The Texas Democratic party is organizing a response to these idiots. My county is next to the home county of these idiots and we are expecting a large number of True the Vote people at the general election. I am doing a couple of classes for poll watchers and our party will do their best to keep these idiots under control

[CoffeeCat]

56. It's so brazen and completely ridiculous...

...that these partisan bullies think they can show up and have authority to tell anyone, anything!!

Who the f do these clowns think they are????

God, I hope people get them on videotape. They have no authority. They have no power. It's ridiculous that these fools allow themselves to be used like this.

I'd like to know exactly what they think they're going to do! They have no right to tell someone that they can't vote! They can't ask for ID--even if it's required by law. They are not poll workers! It would be like me just showing up at the polls and asserting some kind of imaginary authority.

How craven and STUPID is this???

[madrchsod]

54. not in the home town of ronny reagan...

there`s not enough democrats for anyone to worry about. plus where i vote the people who check who i am are my neighbors.

[Tom Ripley]

55. I'll just vote after 4PM when they will all be at the Early Bird Special