Local Government TV

Monday, November 07, 2011

What To Watch Out For at the Polls

When you exercise your right to vote tomorrow, you have the right to do so free from any kind of intimidation. With that in mind, let's review what's permissible and what is not.

1) Can I Wear Buttons, Pins and Materials that endorse my favorite candidate?-  Yes, so long as you do not actively campaign, and leave the polling place as soon as you vote. Poll workers, watchers and candidates with a watcher's certificate are prohibited from wearing anything endorsing any candidates, and may not campaign while inside the polling place.

2) When must people stop seeking my vote? All campaigning (electioneering) must be done at least 10 feet away from the polling place.

3) You've got three minutes. - You can only take three minutes in the polling booth, although election officials can grant you a longer time if nobody is waiting.

4) Can I help Auntie May cast her vote? - No. Unless her voter registration card contains a declaration that she has some kind of disability that makes it impossible for her to see the ballot, she's on her own. (Updated 12:42. - (The Lehigh County Registrar tells me there are forms voters can also fill out, requesting assistance from the Judge of Elections.)

5) Can campaigners hound me outside the door? Yes and No. It's America. People can lobby for their favorite candidate, but may not block your path to the voting plac, or practice any form of intimidation.

6) No cops! They have to stay 100' away, unless they're voting themselves or are called there to restore order or pick me up for an unpaid parking ticket.

7) What do I do if I see a problem? Call the elections office. In Northampton County, it's (610) 559-3055. In Lehigh County, it's (610) 782-3194. The law requires their Solicitor to be on duty and in the odffice from 7 AM until 10 PM. The Court will also assign a judge to make himself or herself available for any problems that arise.

22 comments:

  1. bernie, i believe that in lehigh county coaches are now allowed in the booth with the voter, for translation from english to spanish

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  2. i should change the word coaches to translators, although in reality, coaching may be occurring. if a voter is so unversed in english, how could they know the issues or candidates?

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  3. From my reading of the law, it is improper unless the voter himself has the need noted on the registration card.

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  4. "If a voter is so unversed in English, how could they know the issues or the candidates?"

    Es tut mir sehr leid, Herr Molovinsky. Aber auf meiner Meinung, in Amerika nicht schwierig ist es. Man muss nur ein Ding kennen ...

    ... "D"

    (as in Democrat)

    Alles ist wirklich sehr leicht, haben Sie kein Angst bitte.

    Schoenes Tag,

    FELDMARSCHALL GEBHARD VON BLUECHER

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  5. bernie, again, it was my understanding that a special exception to the law was made in certain districts of lehigh and berk's counties, to accommodate the current demographic shifts.

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  6. Please do not read Mr. O'Hare's list as "absolute law". In your attempt to intimidate some people you may be scaring others. Many election officials know people in their community and understand special needs. if you have any questions or concerns ask for the judge of elections. voting is a right and should be a free and enjoyable activity. don't let Mr. O'Hare's hatred of one group put any fear in your heart. Nothing has changed at your polling place and the election officials not Mr. O'Hare is in charge.
    Thank you.

    An election official expert.

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  7. 2:53 is going to let all the illegal acorns vote.

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  8. Ahhhhh anonymous 2:53pm....Mr. O'hare has a good way of intimidating people, especially with his flip cam!

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  9. If you are intimidated at a poll by anyone including Mr. O'Hare please inform the judge of elections on site. John Stoffa may allow him special privileges in the courthouse but out here he is no better than anyone else.

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  10. if the latinos can't read english then they should not be able to vote. we should not be accommodating a damn thing. learn english - speak it, vote it.

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  11. Bernie is still freaking out over Trish. A fatman scorned is indeed a nasty man. Give it up Bernie, she dumped you and that is that.

    Boxers or briefs?

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  12. 1:08
    Ja Feldmarschall
    Ich werde gegen mein besseres Wissen abstimmen gerade Demokrat dieser Wahl. Mit Ausnahme der doofus Chris Miller. Wer würde ich nicht für Hundefänger zu stimmen.
    I in der Regel wählen Kandidaten aus verschiedenen Parteien, jedoch in den aktuellen Stand unterstützt alle Republikaner ist keine Option.

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  13. MM, You may very well be right. I rec'd some ono from the Norco elections office and will check it out.

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  14. #1 is interesting, since it is NO in Monroe County in that regard. Then again somethings are up to each county board.

    All I know is here in Monroe County, no buttons or stickers can be displayed in the polling place by anyone.

    If they try to come in wearing it we have to tell them to cover it up, or lose it. Should one get by us, the poll workers at the table will not let them vote until they comply.

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  15. 9:37
    That is how I understood it.

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  16. Northampton County has allowed people to vote wearing shirts that support individual candidates. The First Amendment comes into play here. There is no definitive ruling statewide.

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  17. Bernie...who are you kidding. You were all over us with the Gracedale vote concerning buttons, shirts and the such. You went around just making sure we didn't make one slip and then when you THOUGHT you saw something or simply made stories up you would do your normal DRAMA of writing about how we broke the election law. Now change of tune. but then again, you are the DRAMA QUEEN!!!!!!

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  18. I was all over you bc you engaged in wholsesale election fraud when you secured signatures. You probably did it during the actual election, too, but i never looked into that and certainly had no problem with pis or buttons.

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  19. Herr Anon 8:48,

    Hundefaenger, dass war lustig! (obwohl nicht so viel von Miller kenne ich)

    Ich kann mit dass stimmen zu, alle Republikaner ist nicht eine Wahl. Weil alle Republikaner sind nicht Republikaner. Ich glaube an die Konstitution.

    Ich sage mich als "Constitutional Conservative". Waehrend meiner Schultage, Dinge wie "Checks and Balances" gelernt habe ich. Ich glaube auch an dass.

    Nur eine Partei ist nie gut, dass sollte jeder von Geschichte bereits gelernt hat. Aber die Demokraten sind heute ganz verrueckt. Ohne Frage. Zu viel Ausgabe ist das groesste Problem.

    Meiner Meinungen. Viel Spass auf Deutsch zu sprechen...vielen Dank!

    V.BLUECHER

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  20. Herr Bluecher
    Sie sind herzlich willkommen, guten Tag

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  21. Wow. You can use google translate

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  22. "Wow. You can use google translate"

    I don't care how stupid you are, Anon 7:43, with hard work and determination, you could probably figure out how to use google translate someday, too.

    Seriously, there really is no need to be jealous.

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You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.