Over-matched by Democrat "Poll Observers" on Election Day

I was over-matched, unprepared, and overcome as a Republican poll observer last Tuesday.  Along with two others, while we were working Project Orca for Romney, our Democrat "poll-observing" counterparts ignored the rules, kibitzed with voters, and even attested signatures on voter registration forms with their own signature.

I volunteered to work as a Republican poll observer for the Romney campaign.  I was trained to use a web-based application from my smartphone which tracked which supporter or independent had voted.  From my position behind ballot inspectors, I was to check off the names of voters as they stated their name - when I could here them.  Most voters handed the inspectors their license when approaching them.  When they did state their name, most of them leaned forward so only the inspector could hear.  The inspectors would repeat their name, but because they had their back to us, often times we couldn't hear them.

We were supposed to use the Project Orca website to log voter's names, but the website never became available.  Alternately, we had printed copies of the lists in order to check off names.  We would phone in the results throughout the day.

Our Democrat poll-observing counterparts sat with us but often left the poll-observing designated area to stand among themselves off to the side by the entrance to the polling place.  We later learned that our counterparts were all lawyers.  We wondered why and later got our answer.

One lawyer was profiling voters as they entered.  If a voter looked Hispanic or Latino and had a glazed look on their face when they walked in, she got up, approached the voter, and began to speak Spanish.  When we cried foul, she would sit down, but only briefly.

Around 6:00 p.m. the line to register to vote was very long (NH allows people to register to vote on the day of an election). Because the line was so long, there was significant concern among poll workers that they would not be able to register everyone in line. This is when our lawyer friends jumped into action.  They requested that they be deputized to be city clerks to assist with new voter registration.   Democrats were worried that people would either not bother to register because the line was so long or that they would leave the line.  The city's head clerk arrived and asked that everyone help.  Not wanting to leave the job entirely to the Democrats, we all joined in.  Next thing you know, I'm working for the city helping with voter registration handing out applications and pens.

The application required name, address, and either a NH driver's license or the last four digits of your social security number - no proof of citizenship. It also required three signatures: one by the application, another by a witness that the applicant's signature was theirs, and another by the city.   I was standing by the table where voters were being processed when I heard a city worker ask a Democrat poll observer where they were supposed to sign since he signed the line witnessing the applicant's signature.  Wait a minute!  Why was a city worker asking a Democrat-poll-observing-lawyer-now-deputized-to-process-voter-registrations where to sign?  I joined a discussion on the other side of the room and asked why was this guy signing voter registration forms?  I was told he was speeding up the process.  Really?  How?  By having all the paperwork signed when registrants were being processed.  I said that this guy has no business signing anything.  I didn't think signing up to help meant that someone could sign voter registration forms.

Then, a representative from the state's Attorney General's office arrived to sort out what city workers were to do with applications that were signed by this lawyer.  After making a few calls, she advised city workers to sign the line approving that voters be added to the checklist.

City workers were delighted that the the line wait went down from thirty minutes to fifteen minutes, and to no waiting around 7:40 p.m.  The poll closed promptly at 8:00 p.m.  The moderator was happy, city workers were happy, voters were happy, and the Democrat poll observers were no where to be found.  I then went back to become a poll observer - I guess.

During the initial training, we were advised to call a phone number where we could report any potential irregularities.  I made several calls during the day.  Overall, I was totally unprepared and completely over-matched.  While us Republican poll observers were checking off names so that potential supporters who had yet to vote could be called to urge to get to the polls, Democrats stretched (broke?) the rules, took advantage of  the chaos, and worked the voter crowd.  From a strategic perspective, it was a much better "plan."  This is what happened in one ward in one city in NH.  Imagine what was going on in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

Republicans must figure out a way to counter this strategy.  Otherwise, they will be out-matched on election day for the foreseeable future.