Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2016 3:26 PM
To: "Lawson, Joshua", Kim Strach, "Matthew.Snyder"
Cc: Stella Anderson
Subject: Formal Complaint About Poll Observers in Watauga
Dear SBOE,
Please consider this email a formal, filed complaint with the State Board of Elections that our local Watauga BOE and Director have willfully refused to follow the directives of Director Strach's Numbered Memorandum 2016-21 as it related to Poll Observers. This in spite of the fact that it has repeatedly been brought to the Director's attention by several people that the directives are not being followed and in spite of the fact that the Board itself agreed at last night's Board meeting that the memo directives were not being followed.
The memo, which clearly addresses both early and election day voting, states that, "All observers, whether precinct-specific or at-large, may be relived after serving no less than four hours. GS 163-45(a). This means that at least four hours must have passed since the observer began serving before a replacement observer can take over from the prior observer."
Instead, at the ASU Student Union early voting site, while the at-large Democratic observers remain inside the polling location for the 4-hour requisite, the at-large Republican observers come and go at will. They are sometimes there for as little as 10 minutes before leaving. Another then takes that observer's place for perhaps another 15-30 minutes, and then the tag team continues. They are intimidating and, even Director Snyder admits, disruptive.
Yet neither our Director nor the Board will take any action to stop this clear violation without further direction from your offices that Director Strach meant what she wrote in the memo, something you have thus far apparently refused to confirm.
Now our Board is seeking a legal opinion from the County Attorney, Four Eggers, that Director Strach's memo means what it says, and I think we all know how that will go.
I know it is ridiculous that you should have to call or write our local Board and Director to explain to them that Numbered Memo 2016-21 means what it says and says what it means, and that the at-large poll observers must either remain in the polling location for a 4-hour minimum or forfeit the right of another at-large observer(s) taking their place until 4 hours is up, but clearly this is what you are going to need to do in order to ensure that our County Board follows the dictates outlined in the memo.
Again, please consider this a formal filed complaint and a request that you take action on this matter immediately.
*********
NOTE: The people Anne-Marie Yates appointed as "at-large poll observers" who are currently flouting the rules in the ASU Student Union:
Anne-Marie Yates
Nathan Miller
Margaret Eggers
Braxton Eggers
And let's not forget that Anne-Marie herself carried in "Official Poll Observer" badges for their folks along with a clipboard with the big fat GOP Elephant plastered for all to see! They sent in two at-large observers at the same time. All of this violations of the law.
ReplyDeleteTheir observers presumably knew the rules but had no intent to follow them - and they got away with it.
And notice the single location they wanted to observe - ASU Student Union - you know, where they think the only so-called fraud would ever occur.
Anne-Marie Yates, Chairman of the Watauga County GOP, was also wearing a badge that read "Watauga County Election Official" in the ASU polling site while serving as a poll observer. Ms. Yates may not be an "Election Official" as she is 1) chairman of a political party and 2) her husband is running for county commissioner.
ReplyDeleteShe also carried a clip board in the polling site with unofficial badges that read, "Poll Observer". She gave the clip board and badges to the chief judge to distribute to the Republican Party appointed poll observers. The chief judge carried the clip board around, clutched against her chest, with the GOP Elephant Emblem exposed to the voters.
After bringing this to the attention of the chief judge, she made no effort to remove the clip board from the site.
Ms. Yates was also seen parking in the voter designated and guarded parking lot during early voting hours while campaigning for the Republican Party and her husband. He had Republican candidates all over it with campaign signs on her doors representing her husband. While voters are allowed to park in the lot, long enough to vote, with campaign decals, the Chairman of the Republican Party, is not allowed to park in the same lot while electioneering.
Ms. Yates asked if I had a problem with her car. I do not have a problem with her car; but, I do have a problem with her parking her car in a designated voter parking lot and electioneering.
Ms. Yates was spotted standing in front of the Administration Building, within the 50-foot marker area and entering the voting site 2 times in one day. The question is how often has Ms. Yates used the unofficial badge to gain access where she would otherwise not be allowed?
Maybe these *@#$@! arrogant, suburban-urban, Watauga GOP people will finally learn to never take their traditional rural base for granted.
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