What to know about poll watchers, and what they can and can't do in Pennsylvania

[FakeNoose]

Spotlight PA link: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2024/03/pennsylvania-poll-watcher-election-2024-donald-trump-explainer/

HARRISBURG — As the 2024 election heats up, voters in Pennsylvania may hear candidates talk about poll watchers. Appointed by candidates or political parties, poll watchers are permitted to observe polling place setup, the voting process, and the counting of ballots.

Poll watchers are a longstanding feature of elections in Pennsylvania and around the country, and both major parties use them to guard against malfeasance. But in 2020 they became the subject of mass scrutiny as former President Donald Trump made multiple false or misleading claims about them. His campaign also brought unsuccessful lawsuits arguing its watchers should be allowed in Philadelphia’s satellite mail ballot offices and allowed to serve in counties other than where they reside.

Trump’s complaints continued during the year’s protracted post-election ballot count, with a state judge at one point ordering Philadelphia to let poll watchers move closer to ballot counting locations. City officials objected, saying their election workers faced harassment as a result of the scrutiny and widespread confusion about what poll watchers are allowed to do.

Election directors broadly agree that poll watchers are crucial for improving confidence in the election process, but say that understanding the rules is imperative.

- more at link -

This informative Spotlight PA article covers the following topics:
1. What is a poll watcher? What does a poll watcher do?
2. How to become a poll watcher
3. Why were poll watchers scrutinized in 2020?
4. What was the impact?

[liberal N proud]

1. I worked as Election Protection on every election in Ohio from 2004 to 2016

The only conflicts were with the republicans who were working the poll.
Every time, I would intercept an effort by them to block someone from voting. After once or twice, they would realize that I was watching and did their jobs correctly

[FakeNoose]

2. Thanks for this

I think that more Democrats need to understand that being a poll watcher is doing God's work - when you're a Democrat.

Not so much for the Repukes.

[twodogsbarking]

3. I vote by mail but could vote in person by walking 5 minutes. I would like to dress in drag and vote

at the poll. Not a drag queen but for this I would give it a shot.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Voter suppression is easy

- Target precincts with heavy Democratic turnout.
- Make the process as intimidating, stressful and unpleasant for people exercising their right to vote and for the poll workers
- Do whatever they can to slow down the line. Frivolous challenges, unnecessary questions, anything.
- Adding just a minute to every 3rd or 4th voter adds up when 200 citizens are waiting in line.
- Voters who have to get back to work, have children to pick up from school, medical appointments, give up and end up not voting.

[FakeNoose]

5. Yes the Repukes do these things when they think they can get away with it

Mostly there are no TV cameras around to document attempts at voter suppression. But Democratic poll watchers do see it, stop it when they can, and file reports that are later used to verify complaints of harassment at the polls and such.

[Deminpenn]

6. Also a former poll worker

Our poll had watchers one election. The poll watchers have a designated area that they cannot leave. The designated area must be so may feet from the voting area/voting machines. The poll watchers cannot interact with voters at all. They must sit quietly. All they can do is watch. The election we had poll watchers, we were more lenient about them getting up to eat, stretch, use the restroom, but we were clear they were not allowed to interfere in any way with people coming in to vote.