Though declaring itself “nonpartisan,” the local tea party group continues to gear up for the busy election season in our county.
“Wrap-up meeting to receive your written instructions and poll assignment. Location to be announced,” is the word on the local tea party website under “election integrity wrap.”
The group’s “election integrity” effort comes ahead of the June 5 election and will be worth watching. Some poll watchers in Truckee created a stir in Nov. 2010.
The local tea party also is bringing more well-known activists to the county. This month, the group’s scheduled speaker was Brad Dacus, outspoken spokesman for the religious right.
The Dacus-led Pacific Justice Institute has fought vociferously to stop SB 48, a state bill to teach gay history in public schools. A PJI-effort initiative to overturn the bill failed to get enough signatures to qualify for this year’s ballot.
Dacus’ highly charged remarks about Prop. 8 during a “Yes on 8″ rally in Sacramento in 2008 were widely publicized. Dacus also appears in a news video about SB 48 (see below).
Politics aren’t nearly as sleepy as one might expect in our quaint “Mayberry RFD” — seemingly exacerbated with the rise of tea party cofounder Mark Meckler and Congressman Tom McClintock in the foothills. The rancor can be downright uncomfortable at times. I’d like to read more about this in our local newspaper.
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Between these folks and Chickenhawk Romney and his five Chickenhawk sons running around with “bloviating ignoramus” Donnie Trump, they all must be trying to secure the “Gary Busey vote”. And if tea party is checking people’s “integrity” it’d be nice if they developed some…
Kate
Yeah, well they better follow the rules this time, which they did not do last time. A poll observer is looking for fraud, observing and reporting. They are not wearing a uniform (you know like a red t-shirt and an arm band distinguishing them as the voter police), or waving a Gadsen flag, they are not talking to voters or asking for ID, or thanking their followers for coming in, or pointing out specific people to the poll workers to target–as a matter of fact we should not hear one word from them–they observe and report to the authorities suspected cases of voter fraud.
Jeff, if Nevada County has guidelines for what observers can and cannot do, I think you should post them. Here is what I have read from other jurisdictions in California:
Here is what a poll observer may do:
1) Observe the voting process before, during and after voting hours
2) Copy voter names from the polling inspectors list which is posted on the wall of a polling place periodically
3) Observe the voting process, but only if they remain quiet and keep their distance from official poll workers
4) Pictures can be taken in the polling place, but only if it does not interfere with the process. Poll watchers cannot take pictures of ballots.
Poll observers may not:
1) Handle ballots
2) Electioneer within 300 feet of a polling place
3) Remove or use any items on a poll workers table
4) Approach privacy booths
5) Use any electronic device within the polling place (this includes cell phones)
6) Talk to voters
REMEMBER, IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR POLL OBSERVERS TO TALK TO VOTERS.
So in short, if anyone talks to you at the polling place, ask them if they are an observer, and if they are, you should ask the poll workers to immediately remove them from the polling place.
I see one damn red Tea Party t-shirt and I am going to throw their asses out of my polling place and call the police.
Can I have an Amen?
Right on Steve! I will do the same.
Great post, Steve and I hear the Department of Justice are investigating at least 100 cases of Voter Suppression, Voters Right Act irregularities and intimidation. As voters its good to know the “rules of the road” and act on that in your polling place
Kate and Steve: Do not forget the right to vote is a civil right, interfering with the right to vote because of laws permitting voting observation is the deprivation of a civil right under color of state law, and actionable under 42 USC 1983. These people should be sued civilly as well as prosecuted criminally.
Thank You John for that crucial and very important reminder.
By the way, when you throw over zealous observers out of the polling place, make sure you not only call the police, but also the registrar and local media. These activities must be exposed to be countered.