Poll watchers; no recording devices allowed, including cameras.

[babylonsister]

I didn't know this so thought I'd share. Just rec'd this from the Lampson hdqtrs when I asked about bringing a camera. I also don't know if this applies in every state but might be something you want to check out if applicable.

"Also, don’t bring a camera. At the bottom of the appointment sheet is an affidavit you must sign in front of the judge saying you don’t have any recoding devices on you, including a camera."

[flamin lib]

1. Exactly the same in Texas nt

[babylonsister]

9. That's where I am. nt

[derby378]

2. They don't want any evidence of a crime being committed to get out

That's okay - since I'm not a poll watcher, I'll bring my own in if possible.

[Febble]

10. No, it's important

it's the same in the UK. If you have a camera, you could photograph your ballot, and sell it i.e. someone could pay you to vote a certain way, as long as you could provide proof that you did.

It's to prevent election crime, not hide it.

[derby378]

13. Understood. My bad.

I won't bring one in, either.

[april]

3. where r u ? what state

I have not been told this ....

[babylonsister]

6. Texas. nt

[havocmom]

4. Gee, what do you suppose they are afraid watchers may record

and share with We The People?

Sorta like DOD coming down on troops using cell phone/cameras.

My ol momma used to say 'You don't try to hide things unless you are ashamed of sumthin'

[aquart]

7. I think these rules have to do with voter intimidation.

[havocmom]

11. A nobel concern. But, sadly, too much like 'do it for the children'

Nobel concerns often get twisted into cover of less than nobel deeds ;)

[flyarm]

21. many of these laws have been in effect for a very long time!

I was a poll worker for the years Clinton was in office..many of the laws about recording devices and cameras were in effect long before that!
of course cell phone cameras were not part if the equation then..but the camera laws were..and i was a poll worker for 2 different states..

and in 2004 i was a poll watcher at large..( which means i worked all elections & primaries..and i could be floating to any precinct they needed me..i was one of only 2 poll watchers ' AT LARGE" for dems, then established as a kerry poll watcher FOR EARLY VOTE AND GENERAL FOR ONE OF THE 4 LARGEST COUNTIES IN fLA)

no cameras were allowed into the polling places in fla..no filming was allowed of polling rooms with voting machines..people were told in lines..with cell phones put on vibrate or turn off..

on general election day..rethugs had people with cameras outside where lines were ... that were being used to intimidate black voters and minority voters..and they were asked to leave premises by democratic lawyers!

In early vote in 2004 since it was the first one..not many laws were in effect..so rethug assholes were walking up to minority voters with cameras taking voters pictures of minorities ..trying to intimindate them...again the Kerry and dem lawyers were demanding they stopthis practice..but because the laws were virtually non existant..all the dem lawyers could do is put in protests..

remember..your camera may be there for the right reasons..the rethugs use this practice to scare away minorities, and immigrants..and they frighten easily.

i caught rethug young people approaching minorities in line to vote asking them for utility bills and they weretold unless they had proof they lived there ( ie: utility bills) they would not be allowed to vote..so there was no point in them standing in 3 hour lines..

yes i was in the parking lots chasing down our voters ( their cars..) who ran out of the lines scared...

remember ..if you use a camera in the wrong way you could scare away our own voters!!

many minority voters have experienced life long intimidation attempting to vote..it is not fair to scare them away..

many i saw very spooked minorities and hispanic who were being filmed and photographed by rethugs with cameras taking picutres of people in line to vote..

in 2004 early vote.i felt like i was spending more time outside trying to keep our voters there and not be spooked by the rethug dirty tricks..

i will say it again..know your state..and county laws..many states let counties decide their own laws in regards to camera's and filming..

we can not afford to scare away our own voters..they are aquainted with intimidation.. ..and some get scared.. they have experienced it way longer than most of us have..

so please use your heads..if you do take camera's...

some things to look for ..rethugs outside voting places..filling out absentee ballots for people who have some mental lapses...

i caught rethugs filling out homeless people's ballots outside polling place ( supervior of elections offices!) and rethugs bringing vans' of retarded people to the supervisor office and they were filling out their absentee ballots outside at picnic benches..

and intimidation..watch for rethugs going to minority people's cars and telling them ..if you don't have ie utility bill for id or any other reason...take pictures of those people who try the intimidation plot..

and then ask for the poll watcher or call in the lawyers right away! or if there is police there..tell the police you are seeing this..

i saw shouting matches set up by rethugs in early vote 2004..and i scared some voters away..if you see this ..get pictures of those people

just use your head...and know your laws!!

fly

[mom cat]

5. Make them show you where it says that in the law!

[babylonsister]

8. I have the affadavit right here; it's

A4-16W.doc
Prescribed by Secretary of State
Sections 33.002, 33.006, Texas Election Code
10/99

I, ________, a poll watcher for the above appointing authority, do hereby swear or affirm that I do not have in my possession any type of mechanical or electronic means of recording images or sound while serving as a watcher at this precinct.

It is TX, so don't know if this is applicable elsewhere.

[mom cat]

16. So how about non poll watchers who have not taken the shameful

secrecy oath!

[rumpel]

12. Election Day Video Guidelines! from VideoTheVote

#5 Leave your camera in the car (or if it’s a pocket sized camera with video capability, leave it in your pocket) until you’ve assessed the situation and talked with voters. When first approaching a voter, do so without your camera. Establish a connection and level of trust with them first.

#8 You should should never enter a polling place with a camera or microphone, unless you've been authorized to do so by both an election official and an Election Protection attorney.

Read here:

I have read and agree to the guidelines (click here to read).
http://www.videothevote.org/

protect yourself - this is serious

[Zeebo]

14. Poll watchers have to sign an affidavit, but what about regular voters?

Are we allowed to video/record problems or discrepancies with the voting equipment? Like votes being recorded wrong, etc...

I think this would go along way in convincing many that our voting system is broke.

Thanks.

[rumpel]

15. Please see my post above or

just go to

http://www.videothevote.org/

and read the guidelines

:)

[flyarm]

17. i have been warning this since this was first posted here..to check

your state and county laws..many places it is illegal to film or take pictures in a polling place or within the distance set up by state laws..

i fear some will get arrested because they did not heed the advice.and go off with their camera..naively..thinking they can just pull out their camera and start taking pictures.

if you want to vote..you don't want to get arrested before you vote! or be challanged by the rethugs.when they see a camera around your neck...

please follow your state and county laws..

you can document by asking a poll worker to check your machine if it casts the wrong vote first..ask them to write their name down..ask someone next to you to look and verify it..
have the lead poll worker write or sign that this happened to you..if there is a poll watcher call on them to look at what happened and ask them to document the time and place of the switched vote..the number of the vote...on the machine..or dropped vote..get the poll workers name and party affiliation..

that is what they are there for..make sure when you go into the polling place.. ask if there is a poll watcher..some places it is called by different names..some are called challengers...know who they are so if you have a problem you can call them over to look ..and document it..so they know if there is a problem occuring..so they can get lawyers there ..be pro-active but follow the law..or you may lose your vote..

remember the poll worker is a volunteer..they didn't do this ..and they have no control except to re-set the machines..or to document the machine problems or shut the machines down..

before you get sent to a machine ..ask have there been any problems with that machine?? switching votes or any kind of problems..if they say yes..tell them you will wait for another machine!

from a former poll worker and poll watcher..fly

[meldroc]

18. This will be somewhat inconvenient for me...

I was warned during my poll-watcher training that cell phones, cameras and recording devices are not to be used in polling places.

I routinely carry a camera phone with a voice memo function - all three of the above...

I know why such devices are taboo - photographing voters or photographing your ballot, or recording what they were saying, violates the secret ballot, violates the privacy of voters, and is in general potential for big, big trouble.

Of course, it would be incredibly unethical to use my phone that way, and of course I would never do that. OTOH, I do have Dem party lawyers on speed dial on my phone if an incident does occur on my watch, and I was told that I might be called during the day so the party can ask me to do various things.

So for the moment, I'm thinking that I'm just going to put my phone in silent mode, keep it in my pocket, and never use it inside. Though if the election judges ask me about it, I'll work with them and find another place to keep it.

[rumpel]

19. Great post in GD: Polling Place Photography rules by state

thanks to qnr

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2599769&mesg_id=2599769

link to site with laws

[kster]

20. Al Capone, wouldn't want any cameras

if he were in charge of the secret vote counting machines and if he could have, he would have made laws to prevent cameras around his secrret vote counting machines, don't ya think? Take your damn cameras for christsake

[slackmaster]

22. Thanks for reminding me to plug mine in before I hit the shower

We can take cameras to the polls in California. We just can't photograph people.