    
Glenn Wolf, CISSP
Voting Rights Forum Participant
Username: Glennwolf
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2008
Best of Black Box? 
Votes: 1 (A keeper?) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 3:35 pm: | 
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(Edit - date in title needs to be corrected to 11/4/2008)
Read about my experience here, trying to be an observer today here in Corvallis, Oregon:
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/165/78716.html?1225841129
Ok, so here's what happened. You might want to sit down.
I didn't take the video camera. I'm sure that if I did, I would have been escorted out the moment I got there. The concern on their part was that I might count up the ballots in my head, and then go outside and say "so and so is winning", etc. The real reason is that we are treated like guests in a nice restaurant, who can be asked to leave at any time if we don't use the right kind of fork to eat our salad.
I got there right at noon. No one approached me or the other observers to sign us in, until about 12:30pm. No one checked our IDs, just looked at the letters saying we were observers. I was given a quick tour, "this room is this, this room is that, etc."
I was told that I could not watch the vote tabulation because there was already a Democrat party observer in there (also the local Democrat party lawyer). She could not leave because if she did, then she would not be able to do her job, which was to announce the official results.
I was brought to a small room, which also housed some large water heating or pumping equipment that would make a lot of noise every 15 minutes or so. In this room, there were 3 people counting and opening up the ballot envelopes, placing them into piles of 10, and then enhancing votes or masking stray marks so the machines could read them.
I proceeded to take notes on my Blackberry, which was what I chose to take notes on since they asked us to leave all our stuff in another room due to space concerns. Once, I stood up to stretch my legs. I was promptly scolded by one of the election representatives, who reminded me (I was never told) that I had to remain seated the entire time. After about 2 hours of this, and really more concerned about the vote tabulation issues, and especially with regard to my IT Security background, I called the Democrat lawyer (who I was told to contact if I had any concerns). While I was on the phone with her (she was in the vote tabulation room, probably with people making sure she stayed seated), I was escorted out of the room and told I was being disruptive and that I could not make phone calls (even though I was given written instructions to bring my laptop and cell phone). I explained that I was using my only means available to contact the lawyer, since I had some questions. I was allowed to meet with the lawyer, to whom I explained my concerns, and I could tell she was very frazzled and nervous about the whole day. This is when she explained to me that I couldn't be in there, because then she would have to leave, and she couldn't leave because then she wouldn't be able to announce the official results. This is the best I can understand the issue. Apparently she had been there since 7am and had to beg someone to go get her some food. We agreed that she should stay were she was, and I would stay where I was, and I explained to her my limited knowledge of concerns about the vote tabulation process, handling of memory cards, etc., and that if I could please observe this part of the process I would be thankful.
I was then escorted back to the ballot opening / enhancing / masking area, where I continued to take notes on my Blackberry, documenting the aforementioned experience.
Not 15 minutes after this, I was told the Democrat lawyer would like to speak with me in the hallway. I exited the room, and she told me that I would have to leave, as I was being "disruptive." I asked her what this meant, and she said someone thought I was "texting". I explained that I was taking notes, showed her and the elections supervisor the detailed notes I had been taking, and then I was just told I was making the workers "nervous". I noticed the other (Republican) observer, who was taking no notes at all, was never asked to leave. I wonder if I took notes with a paper and pencil (another communications medium mentioned that I was allowed to have, in addition to cell phone and laptop), if I would have still been asked to leave.
Here is something of note we were sent from Jill Van Buren, the election supervisor. This tells you how much they really wanted to be observed:
"Ms. Van Buren also suggested that you bring something to read or knit."
From the lawyer, suggesting we bring other things besides pen and paper for note taking:
"Be sure to bring your letter (see above), a photo ID, a paper pad and pen or pencil for documenting anything, and a cell phone. If you have a lap top, bring it also."
Go figure. I reported this behavior on the part of the elections supervisor and staff to the local Democrat office. Any other suggestions would be welcome. It was obvious the lawyer was less interested in watching the process, than just avoiding being kicked out.
Glenn |
