Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos
Bullies at the Ballot Box - Demos
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