Ohio National Guardsmen may serve at polls

[Ohiogal]

State Rep. Thomas West, D-Canton, has asked Gov. Mike DeWine to consider making Ohio National Guardsmen available to serve as poll workers.

(snip)

The legislator said it disturbed him that only about three months before the election, 54% of about 1,000 respondents to a Stark County Board of Elections survey said they wanted to return for the Nov. 3 election.

“We just thought it would be great for (National Guardsmen) to protect one of the greatest freedoms we have, and that’s voting,” West said. “We need to make certain that we need to have the necessary people ... deployed so we could have a fair and free and accessible election. And we don’t have to worry about reducing the number of polling locations because we don’t have as many people manning the polls.”

A large percentage of past poll workers are elderly retirees who are considered vulnerable to the most severe symptoms of COVID-19. Boards of Election staff worry that many will decline to work Nov. 3.

More

https://www.dispatch.com/news/20200827/ohio-national-guardsmen-may-serve-at-polls?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Columbus%20Dispatch%20afternoon-update%202020-08-27&utm_content=COLD_CD&utm_term=082720

[SaveOurDemocracy]

1. I like this idea. Any downside I'm not seeing?

[Ohiogal]

2. I kinda like it, too.

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. Out of uniform and unarmed- no problem. Nt

[msongs]

4. oh sure let armed agents of the white supremacy movement "serve" at polls nt

[BamaRefugee]

5. GREAT! The "Kent State Approach" to protecting voting rights. I want to puke.

[Ohiogal]

6. I understand what you're saying but ...

Traditionally, the U.S. military is expected not to take part in political activities.

When asked about whether the presence of uniformed National Guardsmen at polling locations could deter people from voting, West said those concerns could be addressed.

“We don’t want them to bring their guns and military vehicles. We just want them to come to the polling elections and assist people in voting,” West said. “We see these people in our (Pro Football) Hall of Fame Parade. Nobody’s intimidated by them there. And I don’t think we would be intimidated by them in the polling locations.”

They could dress in civilian clothing.

Would you prefer they close down multitudes of polling locations because there aren’t enough poll,workers?

[BamaRefugee]

9. Dress the military in civilian clothing? George Orwell is spinning in his grave. So any rightwingnut

dressed in khakis can walk around telling people he's from the National Guard and they better do what he says?

[hotrod0808]

7. This doesn't sound legal.

The only way that members of the armed forces are allowed to do this is if there are no uniforms, weapons, or insignia on their person.

[Ohiogal]

8. That's what they are proposing

[BamaRefugee]

10. At that point they are what we like to call "civilians". Or KGB.

[Maeve]

11. Not in uniform

I will turn 65 the day before the election and I will be there as a poll worker. Two of my kids are Air National Guard and while I'd love to see them helping out, the idea of people in uniform at the most civilian thing we do is just wrong.

[Ohiogal]

12. It's been mentioned several times

They would wear civilian clothes if this were to transpire. We will see.

A friend of mine down in KY said they’ve done this (Nat’l Guard helped out wearing civvies) before with no problems or complaints from voters.

Good for you working the polls! Bottom line, is, we don’t want to have to close any of them due to lack of poll workers.

[Maeve]

13. And that would be fine

In civies, they are mostly just very polite people with good posture! (Yeah, I saw that it had been posted, I was just adding emphasis; it's something I feel strongly about)

I've worked the polls since 2008; not gonna stop now.