Are True the Vote’s Poll Watching Activities Illegal?

[deminks]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/170415/are-true-votes-poll-watching-activities-illegal

Between the shenanigans uncovered by GOP operative Nathan Sproul and Strategic Allied Consulting with falsified voter registration forms, and the ongoing voter challenges waged by tea party groups “empowered” by True the Vote, Representative Elijah Cummings had seen enough to believe voter suppression might be in the queue for Election Day. Last week he sent a letter to True the Vote’s founder Catherine Engelbrecht requesting documents that would explain the ballot security organization’s operations.

The letter in many ways was also a categorical rundown of recent True the Vote (or True the Vote–inspired) actions that suggest suppression if not intimidation are their modus operandi. The letter lists Engelbrecht stating at a Conservative Political Action Conference meeting that she “absolutely” was working to have the Obama administration replaced, hundreds of Ohio college students whose voter status were challenged incorrectly by True the Vote affiliate Ohio Voter Integrity Project, a black Ohio family incorrectly challenged by the same group, and more of the same false reporting in North Carolina and Cummings’ state of Maryland.

Cummings wrote, “If these efforts are intentional, politically motivated, and widespread across multiple states, they could amount to a criminal conspiracy to deny legitimate voters their constitutional rights.”

True the Vote has responded saying they would avail themselves “to any official House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform inquiry,” and has invited Representative Cummings to a briefing meeting and to participate in their poll watcher trainings. But they have not agreed to hand over the documents he has requested.

(end snip)

like any Thuggie controlled House committee was gonna do anything about it...

(snip)

Representative Cummings told me he was “emotional” about these operations. “It is because of the right to vote that has allowed me, the son of sharecroppers, to be a congressman. The right to vote is what has allowed folks in my district to have some say over their destiny. At 62 years old, it pains me to know that as I march towards the end of my life that I would still be fighting this fight.”

(end snip)

It pains me too, Congressman Cummings. It pains me too.

[MADem]

1. If a rightwing nut wrongfully challenges/harasses you...

...fall down and charge 'em with assault. That'll take them off the site for the remainder of the day.

Book 'em, Dano!

[MineralMan]

3. No. Instead, pull out your cell phone and call 911.

Interfering with an election is a felony in most jurisdictions. That's the way to handle it. If you are harassed, call the cops and explain it to them.

[PADemD]

4. We are not allowed to bring cell phones inside our (PA) polls.

[MineralMan]

2. Depends on the jurisdiction and the actual behavior.

I've served as an election observer several times. In each case, the only thing I was allowed to do was to observe, take notes, and speak to an election judge if I believed there was an irregularity. Addressing a voter directly was a violation of the law. Both in California, where I lived most of my life, and Minnesota, where I now live, that was the limitation. I doubt that it is different anywhere else, actually, but I don't know the regulations in every jurisdiction.

There is nothing wrong with election observers, whoever they are, as long as they remain observers and follow the laws in their state. That, however, does not seem to be the thrust of what these "True the Vote" people are about. It sounds to me like real election observers and the regular election judges need to be alert to violations of law by these folks and take whatever steps are required to have law enforcement officials see that such illegal acts are not done.

Here's what I suggest. Go to your election officials and inquire about observing your own polling place, then do it within the law. If there are irregularities from these True the Vote folks, local law enforcement should be called to deal with those irregularities. Same with illegal electioneering. Work to make sure the laws in your own jurisdiction are followed by everyone, and report violations.

It's too late, in most areas, to apply to be an election judge, since there are training requirements, but you can still ask about that, too.