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Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos

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aSSeSSment:<br />

are VoterS ProteCted?<br />

PermItted and ProhIBIted ConduCt<br />

By Poll W<strong>at</strong>CherS and oBSerVerS<br />

ProCedureS For deSIgn<strong>at</strong>Ing<br />

Poll W<strong>at</strong>CherS and oBSerVerS<br />

Who IS elIgIBle to SerVe aS<br />

a W<strong>at</strong>Cher or oBSerVer?<br />

St<strong>at</strong>e<br />

unS<strong>at</strong>ISFaCtory<br />

Texas has many good restrictions<br />

on w<strong>at</strong>chers th<strong>at</strong> help<br />

protect voters from intimid<strong>at</strong>ion<br />

and preserve <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

privacy.<br />

However, it is extremely<br />

troubling th<strong>at</strong> Texas allows<br />

w<strong>at</strong>chers to inspect a voter’s<br />

ballot if <strong>the</strong> voter receives<br />

assistance from an election<br />

officer. This gre<strong>at</strong>ly compromises<br />

<strong>the</strong> secrecy of <strong>the</strong><br />

voter’s ballot and could lead<br />

to voter intimid<strong>at</strong>ion, particularly<br />

for language minorities,<br />

<strong>the</strong> elderly, and disabled<br />

persons. W<strong>at</strong>chers should not<br />

be permitted within several<br />

feet of <strong>the</strong> voting area and<br />

should never have <strong>the</strong> right<br />

to examine a voter’s ballot.<br />

A w<strong>at</strong>cher may call <strong>the</strong> <strong>at</strong>tention of an<br />

election officer to any occurrence th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

w<strong>at</strong>cher believes to be an irregularity or<br />

viol<strong>at</strong>ion of law and may discuss <strong>the</strong> m<strong>at</strong>ter<br />

with <strong>the</strong> officer. An officer may refer <strong>the</strong><br />

w<strong>at</strong>cher to <strong>the</strong> presiding officer <strong>at</strong> any point<br />

in <strong>the</strong> discussion. In th<strong>at</strong> case, <strong>the</strong> w<strong>at</strong>cher<br />

may not discuss <strong>the</strong> occurrence fur<strong>the</strong>r with<br />

<strong>the</strong> subordin<strong>at</strong>e officer unless <strong>the</strong> presiding<br />

officer permits.<br />

TEX. ELEC. CODE ANN. § 33.058<br />

A w<strong>at</strong>cher may observe any activities conducted<br />

<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> loc<strong>at</strong>ion, except th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> w<strong>at</strong>cher<br />

may not be present <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> voting st<strong>at</strong>ion<br />

when a voter is preparing a ballot without<br />

assistance from an election officer. A w<strong>at</strong>cher<br />

is entitled to:<br />

• sit or stand near <strong>the</strong> election officers conducting<br />

<strong>the</strong> observed activity;<br />

• sit or stand near enough to a member of<br />

<strong>the</strong> counting team who is announcing or tallying<br />

votes to verify th<strong>at</strong> ballots are read and<br />

tallied correctly;<br />

• inspect returns and o<strong>the</strong>r records prepared<br />

by election officers <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> loc<strong>at</strong>ion;<br />

• make written notes while on duty.<br />

TEXAS ELECTION CODE § 33.056<br />

An election judge must allow w<strong>at</strong>chers to<br />

perform activities described in <strong>the</strong> Texas<br />

Election Code, but <strong>the</strong> judge may limit excessive<br />

or disruptive activity.<br />

Election Law Opinion No. JH-2 (1991)<br />

While on duty, a w<strong>at</strong>cher may not:<br />

• converse with an election officer regarding<br />

<strong>the</strong> election, except to call <strong>at</strong>tention to an<br />

irregularity or viol<strong>at</strong>ion of law;<br />

• converse with a voter; or<br />

• communic<strong>at</strong>e in any manner with a voter<br />

regarding <strong>the</strong> election.<br />

TEXAS ELECTION CODE § 33.058<br />

A w<strong>at</strong>cher may not be present <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> voting<br />

st<strong>at</strong>ion when a voter is preparing <strong>the</strong> voter’s<br />

ballot or is being assisted by a person of <strong>the</strong><br />

voter’s choice.<br />

Candid<strong>at</strong>es, chairs of political parties,<br />

or, in <strong>the</strong> case of a write-in candid<strong>at</strong>e, a<br />

group of registered voters, may appoint<br />

two w<strong>at</strong>chers for each voting loc<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />

The appointment must be in writing,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> appointing officials or voters<br />

must issue a certific<strong>at</strong>e of appointment<br />

to <strong>the</strong> appointee and obtain an affidavit<br />

st<strong>at</strong>ing th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> appointee will not have<br />

possession of a device capable of recording<br />

images or sound or th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> appointee<br />

will disable or deactiv<strong>at</strong>e <strong>the</strong> device<br />

while serving as a w<strong>at</strong>cher.<br />

TEXAS ELECTION CODE § 33.006<br />

texaS A w<strong>at</strong>cher must be a qualified<br />

voter of <strong>the</strong> county and political<br />

subdivision in which he or she<br />

will serve in a st<strong>at</strong>ewide election.<br />

TEXAS ELECTION CODE §<br />

33.031<br />

49 • aPPendIx 3 | St<strong>at</strong>e Laws Governing Poll W<strong>at</strong>chers and Poll Observers

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