Election observers True the Vote accused of intimidating minority voters

As Jamila Gatlin waited in line at a northside Milwaukee elementary school gym to cast her ballot June 5 in the proposed recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, she noticed three people in the back of the room. They were watching, taking notes.

Officially called “election observers,” they were white. Gatlin, and almost everyone in line, was black.

“That’s pretty harassing right there, if you ask me,” Gatlin said in the hall outside the gym. “Why do we have to be watched while we vote?”

In this day and age when we Americans are supposed to look beyond race in our politics, why does the race issue keep coming up? At first I thought it was very silly for MSNBC to point out the observers were white and the voters black, but then I remember in 2008 how white people felt threatened by black observers at voting sites.

The entire race issue is getting old. And I think we should look past it.

But do minorities have a legitimate concern that groups such as 'True the Vote' are unknowingly working to fix voter fraud....and alienating people of color at the same time?

Few minorities heard Engelbrecht say “the time has come for a national call for election integrity,” but about 100 minority protesters were outside, protesting True the Vote and a national trend of tougher voting regulations.

The protesters, mainly blacks and Hispanics from a coalition of Texas minority rights groups, came to the Not In My Houston protest with their mouths covered in bright blue tape and holding signs that read, “We will not be silenced" and "Stop voter suppression!"

Now while we can agree that we want fair elections, should we allow election "watchers" to be unbiased, independant Americans, or do we want politically-biased groups to watch over our shoulders and question our citizenship as we take part in our right to vote?

In just three years, True the Vote has moved beyond Texas and established itself as one of the political right's fastest growing and most controversial groups.

With its model of poll-watcher training and voter-roll analysis used in at least 20 states, True the Vote is part of a national movement to tighten regulations on early voting and voter registration and to require that voters show ID at the polls in the name of fighting voter fraud.

In the end, I believe that voter fraud is a non-issue and there is very little evidence that people are rigging the votes.

Engelbrecht and her supporters can point to little evidence of voter fraud prosecutions, relying on anecdotes and news reports alleging fraud.

Still, she says True the Vote will train 1 million poll watchers nationwide, leaving “no polling place unmanned” to stand guard against election fraud in November.

So regardless of your political affiliation or race, when you step to the polls in November you may have an army of concerned activists on your heals making sure you are eligible to vote. Does this equal harassment and political bigotry against minority Democratic voters, or is this a necessary step to ensure fair elections?

I say it is harassment towards every American, not just minorities and Democrats. What right to they have to question my, or any other American's right to vote just to battle the very rare case of voter fraud?

Link

reply to post by sheepslayer247

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
At first I thought it was very silly for MSNBC to point out the observers were white and the voters black, but then I remember in 2008 how white people felt threatened by black observers at voting sites.

Can you remember anything else about this? Because the only case of voter intimidation I remember (or can find) is the one where the New Black Panthers stood outside a polling station and intimidated voters. They weren't official, government-sanctioned vote observers, just some individuals... Is there another case?

As far as "True the Vote" goes, this is a report from someone who investigated their meetings:

“What you had were far right-wing speakers talking about the right-wing agenda, a lot of Obama-bashing. But the main thing they talked about was monitoring and watching,” Mock said. “According to True the Vote, people on both sides of the voting booth are up to no good. The people working the polls are subject to corruption and fraud, and the people going up to vote are also subject to corruption and fraud. So they believe it’s their job to watch both sides to make sure that nothing happens.”

Rev. Al suspected that perhaps, just maybe, this isn’t an objective, nonpartisan group.

“Absolutely not. And it’s not been since their inception,” Mock said. “They helped set the Republican Party agenda in Texas and they helped pass the photo voter ID law. Now they’re working to pass a photo voter ID law nationally.”

True the Vote's Latest Move in Voter Suppression

reply to post by sheepslayer247
Were they upset because they were white or were they upset because they were there?

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I believe the incident I am referring to is the Black Panther case. I do not recall other examples. As far as I know, voter fraud and intimidation are a rare occurrence.

This seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to some sort of perceived threat. I don't know what that threat is.

reply to post by beezzer


If I am reading this correctly, the people were upset that they were there. I believe the person writing the article pointed out that the observers were white, and the voters were mostly black.

True the vote claims to be non partisan but all reports show that they Are anything but. The conventions consist of unrelenting liberal bashing. I would be willing to bet that these so-called patriots will mainly be showing up at Democratic/minority districts.

The only reason two-thirds of the people believe we need voter ID laws is because they've been falsley convinced that it is a rampant problem.

the majority of the people also initially supported the Iraq war because they were falsley convinced that Saddam not only had stockpiles of weapons ready to blow us all to smithereens, but also that he had an integral part in 9/11.

People cant have informed opinions if the information they are receiving is false in the first place. Just because a certain percentage of peple believe something doesnt mean it should be so. It all depends on what is facilitating that belief.

They are observers and as such they need training in order to be unbiased. You'd think otherwise, but perception is reality, and any observer has to be made aware of that.

I don't think that this organization is suppressing votes, but Al Sharpton and Joyce Beatty are once again using race to say that it is.

"OH MY GOD! A white person observing my vote, I feel intimitated!

It's what they do in order to keep the money flowing into their pockets.

She said Ohioans will not be intimidated:

“We are obviously upset about this because this is clearly voter suppression…they are afraid that in Ohio, we make presidents. They are afraid we will come out, we will turn out the vote, and we will reelect President Obama.

As a Ohioan, I am fearful that Obama will be re-elected...just as much as I am fearful that Romney will be elected.

Voter intimidation is so 19th century. So is ballot stuffing.

These days our biggest issue is Deibold. There is a famous quote, often attributed to Stalin, that basically says it's not the votes that matter - it's who counts them.

Besides... popular votes are an illusion anyway. The electoral college will make it right if the people happen to go off script.



~Heff

Big difference, in 2008 the black panthers were carrying clubs...three white people with note pads? give me a break...now if they had white sheets on I would agree but people will make the complaint to draw a comparison and frankly you cannot compare this...way to fuel the fire..

reply to post by Hefficide

Voter intimidation is so 19th century. So is ballot stuffing.

I can agree with that, but do you think these people have a legitimate concern if they somehow do feel intimidated?

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
reply to post by Hefficide

 

Voter intimidation is so 19th century. So is ballot stuffing.

I can agree with that, but do you think these people have a legitimate concern if they somehow do feel intimidated?

If they feel intimidation by someone taking notes? Then they should not be voting.

Do I feel intimidated when some calls me a racist?

Nope, though I do feel irritation.

This issue is just another nail in my belief that voting should not be a right, but rather a privilege that has to be earned.

The US was a slow motion train wreck with Bush driving, but this guy has hit the gas.

I think that Romney won’t be any better either, but rather than hitting the brakes, he will at least take his foot off the pedal.

Where is the alien invasion when we need it?

reply to post by sheepslayer247


That is the caveat here.... feeling intimidated vs actually being intimidated. We live in a society where people are so egoistic and on the lookout for perceived offenses that it's sometimes difficult to tell what the reality of situations are.

If I went to an all white community and merely placed a few big black guys near the door of a voting precinct? Some folks would feel intimidated - without a word being exchanged or any body language occurring at all. Same works in reverse. If I went to an all black precinct and placed several Secret Service looking white guys - dressed like Agent Smith from the Matrix movies... that would be perceived as "intimidation"

It's a fuzzy line morally speaking.

~Heff

reply to post by TDawgRex


I don't believe it's my place to judge how or why people are intimidated. If they do feel intimidated, I think it should be addressed. To be honest, I'd be just as intimidated by white folks in suits and a clipboard as I would a black man with a billy club.

I do not want any people observing the election when they have political reasons for doing so and when there is no evidence to suggest that fraud has or will be taking place.

reply to post by Hefficide


Absolutely. I agree.

So why don't we tell these observers from either side to take a hike and let the election go. As you said before, the machine is what we need to worry about.

Nevermind that the real vote fraud is in the tabulation and reporting system.
We'll just keep swatting at flies while a fire breathing dragon runs loose.