I'm firmly against handing out water at the polls.

[hlthe2b]

14. what you witnessed was illegal-- in the absence of food or water being handed out.

They were campaigning. Plain and simple. Why was THAT allowed? The food is a secondary issue.

There is a world of difference between handing out bottles of water with no campaign identification whatsoever and conforming to the total ban on advocating for any candidate, party, side, or issue.

Why you would likewise not expect the water to be free of campaign labels escapes me.

You witnessed clear and overwhelming violations that should have been immediately stopped. As a poll worker in CO in the past, I can assure you it would have been IMMEDIATELY. No one was allowed in line to vote with candidate paraphernalia, much less hand such crap out.

I can also say that I witnessed water being handed out in past summer primary elections when the lines were unreasonably long. Apparently, at the Atlanta site that I observed this, a local businessman anonymously donated cases of generic bottled water for that purpose, they were position in unmarked coolers and volunteers would make the crowd aware that they were available and those in line would pass bottles down the que.

Honestly? You are making a point that the existing regulations and law should be followed and yes, it should. It should have been in your example. But that does not change the issue of being allowed to prevent heat stroke in those being forced into long lines during the heat of the summer just to vote.