Election Protection 2008

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No results at Fellowship Church

All other precincts in Mesa County posted poll results for the Presidential vote over a half an hour ago.  I am still waiting here at Fellowship Church with another poll worker for the post.  

Polling places on church grounds can close at will

The big white tractor guy came out later to talk to my fellow Election Protection worker and me.  Apparently, he decided that he had been a bit of a jerk and wanted to make up. 

He told us, however, that a Republican functionary told him that this church, because it was private property, could shut down the polling place if they decided to.  This is not acceptable in a country that claims to be an open democracy. He agreed with us that polling places in churches were not a good idea.

Voting should occur in public buildings.  No doubt about it!

Electioneering by tractor

Fellowship Church, Grand Junction, Colorado.

Obama partisans arrived, and placed Obama signs after checking in with the Election Judge.  Immediately, voters complained that it was too close, so they moved the offending sign.  A big white guy who keeps the grounds for the church wanted to know if he could run the rest over with his tractor. We said no, but you are welcome to put up your own signs. 

Shortly afterward, a representative of the church came out and said that the signs had to come down.  I called the boiler room. They said that we did not want to fight that fight today. 

Why do we let churches serve as public polling places?

Another woman is here with me doing Election Protection work.  For two hours, it was rainy, cold, and windy here.  We were in the lobby of the church, with neutral Vote 2008 signs.  The Election Judge told us we had to go outside.  We said OK.

Voting assistance effectively denied

I am outside the Fellowship Church in Grand Junction, Colorado.  I am sitting in my car, because it is cold and I am in a rocky recovery from the flu.  I put a sign in my car window that simply says, "Voting Help."  I have no campaign material on my car. 

Not long after I put the sign up, someone from the church came and parked a work truck so that my Voting Help sign was no longer visible from the polling place exit door. 

I called my central office, the "boiler room," and told my support person what happened.  He said, "Can you move your car?" I giggled.  "Sure, I can play that game."  So now my sign is again visible.

Why vote? Historic photo essay

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/1/131234/836

If you are feeling like not voting because it's drizzly, check this out!

Fraudulent calls telling volunteers not to come

Dear Poll Watchers-

 

All poll watching is still on for tomorrow!  There are reports of deceptive telephone calls directing Colorado volunteers not to report for their Election Day assignments.  These calls appear to be a false and malicious attack this unprecedented election effort.  If you have received one of these calls, disregard it entirely.  You are needed—as planned—to protect the votes in this history-making campaign.

 

Thanks for your dedication and hard work.  See you out there tomorrow.

 

Tim Karpof

Colorado Election Protection Director

Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change

Fellowship Church 11-04-08

Fellowship Church, right off Highway 70, is my assignment today.  I am here with a nice woman who has retired to Colorado Springs.  Our task?  Make sure that any voter who is legally entitled to vote is able to do so.  We are part of the Obama campaign, but our task is non-partisan.

Obama partisans arrived, and placed Obama signs after checking in with the Election Judge.  Immediately, voters complained that it was too close, so they moved the offending sign.  A big white guy who keeps the grounds for the church wanted to know if he could run the rest over with his tractor. We said no, but you are welcome to put up your own signs. 

Shortly afterward, a representative of the church came out and said that the signs had to come down.  I called the boiler room. They said that we did not want to fight that fight today. 

Why do we let churches serve as public polling places?

Arrival in Grand Junction-McCain ground zero

After two days of driving through the storm that, unbeknownst to me, blanketed the entire Western United States, I arrived in Grand Junction last night at 11:30PM.  The Obama House on Grand Avenue was still staffed with people checking records. 

The head of the Obama campaign in Grand Junction, Sheri,  was waiting for me to assign me housing.  We were both tired, but excited enough to exchange some information. 

McCain is coming to Grand Junction tomorrow, Nov. 4.  Apparently, Mesa County is key to whether Colorado goes Red or Blue!  My charming hostess Sheryl does not think that the county will go Democratic.  She is a native Grand Junctioner.  (I will have to check on this.  Is it a native Grand Junctionite?)

The people managing the Election Protection Program anticipate little trouble, but have warned us about the possibility of people masquerading as INS.  A few days ago, off-duty customs officers were found in uniform, standing around at a polling place.  Voter intimidation is not a new practice, unfortunately.  William Rehnquist, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was notorious for his raucous voter challenges while a mere mortal politician in Arizona.  While on the final stretch of road, I noted an Adopt-a-Highway sign.  Colorado Minutemen.  Will have to investigate and report back on that.

Sheryl first started voting Democratic in 1988.  Her husband, a lifelong Republican, is voting for a Democrat for the first time this year.  Sheryl is consumed by the campaign.  Her husband is tolerant.

Self-Indulgent Behavior

It's really quite absurd for me to be flinging myself 1000 miles away from home in a 10 year old car that needs an oil change. My bank account hovers on the brink of extinction. But, as a woman, in this way, I honor those women who suffered and died to bring me the vote and I think that everyone who is legally entitled to vote should be able to vote. It makes me ANGRY when people cannot vote.

No, they aren't paying me. But I have asked for donations from my local Democratic Club, where I labor having set up and maintained their website for 3 years.

I did Election Protection work in New Mexico in 2004, and offered my services to the Obama campaign a while back in CA, NM, and CO. They called on Wednesday. So that's how I find myself in Elko, NV this morning in an old casino hotel room that has ZERO ventilation. I tossed and turned all night. At least it isn't SUMMER.

Soon, I will finish my coffee, and hit the road again.  Only another 500 miles to go to Grand Junction! The local Dems have found me a place to stay.