What is the difference between a poll watcher and a carnival clown at a dunking booth?

[Baitball Blogger]

Outside of the physical drenching, I don't think there is one.

So, I was a poll watcher today. I want to believe I made a difference, but you never really know. What someone might do while you're there vs. not there is anyone's guess. For the most part, I thought the polling clerk was top notch and most if not all of the poll workers were the same. One or two decisions might have made me wonder what was going on, but by that time it was near the end of my shift I decided that one vote isn't going to make a difference. For the most part, the precinct I was in was doing everything possible to make sure everyone got a chance to vote. Even when it was clear their vote shouldn't count, like the woman who missed the deadline for registration by seven days. For that they followed the process for provisional ballots.

But, back to being a poll watcher, sometimes I felt like an animal at the zoo. I kept to my chair for most of the day, sitting in a corner of the room with a sign around my neck that was assigned by the County election's office. It was one of those magical signs that scrambled the letters and words, depending who reads the sign. When I looked at it, it said, "I am NOT an election worker. Sorry, but I can't talk to you today. I work for a political party, committee, or candidate, NOT the Supervisor of Elections"

But based on the looks I got as people read the sign, I think to them it said, "Kick me" or, "Don't feed the animal." At least I could tell the difference between those who were confused, and those who were MAGAs, because the latter would give me a stink-eye and growly looks.

I could have been evicted from the premise if I said anything at all to a voter. But there was only one time that I finally broke down. It was a kid who just came and looked at me, and stood there reading the sign. Very slowly I might add. That made me uncomfortable, but it was a kid. But then, the mother did it, and she read just as slowly, it appears, face scowling, and I grew too uncomfortable. I broke down and said, "I know how a zoo animal feels." I only had fifteen minutes left on my watch, so I didn't care if that was enough to send me out the door. Apparently, it wasn't.

And then there was the case of mistaken identity. There was a young black girl who walked in and began a happy conversation with the other black poll workers. They were too far for me to hear the conversation, and it didn't seem important. I was more concerned with a young man that was closer, and had a real problem on his hand. His driver's license came up with the I.D. of a woman. So, I wanted to see how that would turn out. I was looking at him, but if you looked over him, it was in the same line of view as the young black girl. Suddenly she comes into focus when she shouts at me, "HIIIIII!" I was startled, but said Hi back. I thought she was just being friendly. I was wrong.

My attention was on the young man, because he did have a curious problem. For me, it was the most interesting situation that had turned up all day. And it was also going to be the last one of the day because I was already getting my things together, planning to leave after I learned how it was going to be resolved. I decided to get up to get a closer look at the situation. I'm allowed to do that. But as I got up and walked in his direction, suddenly the black girl looks at me and screams at me, "Are you going to follow me to the parking lot to get my glasses?"

The poll clerk was next to me, and I asked him, "why did she say that to me?" He said, "Sometimes that happens."

No clue what that was about. I had been doing my job for four hours. Taking copious notes for memory recall should anything become relevant later, and maybe the poll workers saw me as a negative, hostile entity. Maybe they transferred that information to the young girl. Who knows? It's unfortunate, but I'm not allowed to talk to them either, so just saying, that being a poll watcher requires that you take a lot of abuse.

[SharonClark]

1. I've been a Dem poll watch for decades.

Up until about 10 years ago, the head poll worker would ask me questions about procedures and also used me to vouch that a new voter lived in the precinct.

New voter ID laws mostly changed that but my job as a poll watcher is still to make sure that every eligible citizen is allowed to vote.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. This poll clerk was pretty good.

There was only one small technicality that I cleared up with him, but it was very minor. He had answers for everything else. It was also a small community atmosphere.

[mcar]

3. I've been a poll watcher several times

Was going to today, but I'm not feeling well.

My experience was completely different from yours but it doesn't appear that you took any abuse.

It is uncomfortable to not be able to talk to anyone save the precinct clerk but the rule makes sense.

In 2020, I watched at a precinct all day 7 till nearly 8. I was so impressed with the poll workers and how they treated the voters. They raised a cheer every time a new voter came in.

I couldn't talk to anyone but during busy times, I noticed that they were having trouble keeping up with cleaning the black security folders that they put the ballots in to hand to voters. I offered, to the clerk, to take over that task for a while. It got me off my feet and a bit closer to the action. Plus, the workers really appreciated it.

I also didn't hesitate to take hourly breaks and walk around the church/precinct. I could still smile and nod to the voters and workers.

This year I did some early voting poll watching. First time there was an R watcher there. About halfway through my shift, the clerk came over and asked the R watcher if she had a problem with the precinct. She had, apparently, been chatting up the greeters/VBM takers at the front door. Clerk politely handed her her ass. She left a short time later.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Were you required to wear a sign?

This precinct also applauded for first time voters.

The other poll watcher was an older man, who spent most of the day looking down, reading a book. His arms covered most of his sign.

[mcar]

5. Oh yes

But so were all the poll workers. At one point I had my sweater on and the sign was blocked. A woman came in with her first time voter teenager. She got quite angry that she couldn't stand, watch, and video his voting but the clerk was firm that she had to step outside.

She pointed to me and said, 'she's sitting there, why can't I?' I immediately flipped my sign out so it could be seen.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. The signs for the poll workers were different than the ones that

us poll watchers had to wear. I think they had badges on lanyards. The poll watchers had eight x 10 laminated mustard colored signs with bold, enlarged letters. We looked like freaks.

If my hunch is right, I think the poll workers mentioned something to the young black voter, and that's how she noticed me, because I was a distance away. And that kind of personal exchange is not allowed. There was quite a bit of bantering going on, sporadically during the time I was there. But it seemed good natured, for the most part. I know one of them was a teacher, thus, she knew a few of the young voters.

Maybe poll workers need to be properly informed about what poll watchers are allowed to do? Because we can't speak for ourselves once we walk into that room. We can only speak to the poll clerk, and no one else.

[mcar]

7. I think you are right about that

Maybe poll workers need to be properly informed about what poll watchers are allowed to do? Because we can't speak for ourselves once we walk into that room. We can only speak to the poll clerk, and no one else.

In 2020, the clerk told me that she had been an elections clerk every 2 years for 20 years and I was her first poll watcher. She really had no clue what to do with me, but she was kind.

When I reported this to our local Dem party lead on this, she met with the Supervisor of Elections after and they changed the training to include information about poll watchers. She's an R, but was well trained by her predecessor and they both are committed to voting.