Voters Put Off by Questions at Gracedale Poll
Three people who voted at the Gracedale polling place found it odd that a woman inside the building asked about their party affiliation.
Check out our Patch's Live Lehigh Valley Election Blog
6:15 p.m. update:
Northampton County Registrar Dee Rumsey tells Patch nobody should be asking voters about their party affiliation at polls.
Original Report:
NAZARETH - Three voters say a woman -- possibly a Republican poll watcher -- made them feel uncomfortable at the Joseph Thoder Building at Gracedale, Northampton County’s nursing home.
Voter Mark Cloeren posted on Nazareth Patch's Facebook page:
"Upper Nazareth (Gracedale) location was pretty low key early. No ID requests, although there was an RNC rep in the voting room asking each voter "Republican or Democrat?" After a bit of a discussion she said she was asking whether you were registered one way or the other. But it came across more like she wanted to know how you were voting. She didn't clarify her question after that, and it seemed to put some people off a bit."
Another resident said the woman continued to talk with voters if they told her they were Republican.
The woman was not at the polls when Nazareth Patch went there. Patch has been unable to reach Northampton County election officials as of 5 p.m. to ask about the situation.
Linda Post, the judge of elections at the Gracedale polling location, was visibly startled when Patch detailed readers’ concerns. Post said she personally did not hear any politicking, but was curious to know what the poll watcher was saying to certain voters.
Any party or political organization is entitled to have watchers at any primary or election.
Post said she didn’t know who appointed the poll watcher at Gracedale.
Marci Levine Morefield, posting on Nazareth Patch's Facebook page, said the poll watcher did not identify herself before asking her question, and “it was very off-putting to be asked my affiliation inside the polling place.”
Another voter called the situation “very odd” and told Patch that he “was not comfortable with it.”
According to www.portal.state.pa.us, the rights of poll watchers are:
- Watchers allowed in the polling place are permitted to keep a list of voters. Section 417(b)
- Watchers allowed in the polling place are entitled to challenge the qualifications of voters in accordance with the provisions of section 1210(d) of the Code (25 P.S. § 3050(d)). Section 417(b)
- Watchers allowed in the polling place are entitled to inspect the voting check list and either of the two numbered lists of voters during those intervals when voters are not present in the polling place, provided that the watcher does not mark upon or alter any of these official records. (The judge of election must either personally supervise or delegate supervision of such inspection of the list or lists.) Section 417(b)
Watts
6:20 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
PA voting machines switching Obama votes to Romney, somebody shot this video in the booth today...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdpGd74DrBM
Watch your voting closely!
jane
8:16 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
These cons will stop at nothing to steal this election! People are actually defending this too, making excuses for the "errors" in calibration, etc. There are also people defending the illegal act of asking for ID as a requirement to vote. These people would have made very good brown shirts ~ "papers please..."
allison
8:36 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
I voted at Gracedale around 10am. The same thing, I was asked my party affiliation by one of the ladies at the table. It struck me as strange. It that supposed to happen?
Mallory Vough
8:38 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Northampton County Registrar Dee Rumsey tells Patch nobody should be asking voters about their party affiliation at polls.
Eric Harding
12:15 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I voted in Plainfield Township, Belfast and was disturbed at what I found. The poll workers were re-using the papers that you write your name on that they use to log that you voted. I was to use the back side of one that was already used, had a voters name, voter number and party affiliation. This issue needs not to be taken lightly as this was a violation of privacy and would have been upset to find out that this had happened to me. Who should I turn to in regard to this matter? Suggestions??
Mallory Vough
12:36 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
That, too, was happening at Gracedale. If you'd like to speak with someone, call the Northampton County Election Office at (610) 559-3055. Dee Rumsey is the registrar.
Ben Miller
1:05 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
That's not true at all- "Nobody should be asking voters about their party affiliation at polls." As a former Inspector of Elections in Northampton County (I only stopped because I moved), I can tell you that the forms from the County Election office, used to keep track of each voter, even has a box on it for party affiliation. It is supposed to be marked with a "D" "R" or "I".
Mallory Vough
1:08 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Just curious - why wasn't I asked when I voted in Bushkill Township? South Whitehall folks weren't asked either. I'm trying to understand the discrepancy.
Eric Harding
1:44 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Ben, the poll workers all ready HAVE that information. It is in the signature book. THAT is where they get the information for that little box on that paper. I have NEVER been asked my affiliation nor would I ever disseminate that information to anyone as it is none of their business.
Speaking of the signature book, what is the point of that thing?? The signatures are so out of date. In fact the signature in the book for me is 16 years old. It was taken from my first license and I know this because that is the ONLY time I signed my name that way. Shouldn't those be updated periodically??
Ben Miller
1:56 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It's something all Inspectors are taught to ask, both Minority and Majority Inspectors, in Northampton County. When you are elected, you are directed to go to a meeting at the courthouse to be instructed on the procedures. As to why one group did it and another didn't, I can't say. There were all kinds of irregularities yesterday. Take a look at the form in question. It had squares on it for the name and the party affiliation is on the bottom right, if I'm not mistaken.
Ben Miller
1:57 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
That's the policy, Eric. If someone else failed to follow the policy, then that's on them. I agree about the signatures, however.
Eric Harding
2:41 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I have NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER been asked my party affiliation. EVER. I have been voting for 16 years. For the past elections that I have voted in and that I can remember they have always put my party affiliation on that form. Always with a one letter designation. I have now voted in: Bushkill Township, Nazareth Boro and Plainfield Township. My experience has been true at all of them.
If ever asked I WILL reply: "That is none of your damn business."
You are correct about the form in question.
Ben Miller
1:06 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
What Eric Harding noted, however, was completely inappropriate and should be reported.
Linda H
8:58 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Just as an FYI. The polling place at Gracedale ran out of the polling forms. When my husband went to vote around 4:30 the gentleman asked him to write his first and last name along with party affiliation. When I went to vote at 6:30. The lady at the table didn't ask us to write our party affiliation. It's appears there is inconsistency and the elections office should address this is some type of training
Ben Miller
9:34 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
EXACTLY! There is tremendous inconsistencies and I believe that is because most people elected, never actually go to the training meeting. It's held each year in the courthouse and last time I was there, the courtroom was half full. There was maybe a quarter of the people who were supposed to be there.
Ben Miller
9:34 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Ugh. There ARE, not "there is"
Sorry....