Beware of Voter Intimidation

                                      Beware of Voter Intimidation

By Albert B. Kelly

The world has changed in many ways since 1981, but perhaps not as much in the world of politics. And if it has, then maybe not so much when it comes to polling places and actually voting in New Jersey.

Some of us are old enough to remember back 35 years ago when Republican Tom Kean defeated Democrat Jim Florio by a mere 1,797 votes for governor, which came with a delay of almost a month while a recount was done to  confirm that razor-thin margin.

But here’s the thing, that 1981 race also came fully equipped with the “National Ballot Security Task Force”, an invention of the Republican National Committee.

To staff the “National Ballot Security Task Force” the RNC back in 1981 hired off-duty law enforcement and other assorted characters with official looking armbands to patrol mostly minority polling places in minority communities.

Under the guise of ensuring the integrity of the vote in 1981, the real goal was scare off minority voters in urban communities and keep the democratic vote totals down as a way to help Republican Tom Kean.

Given the 1,797 vote margin that made Kean the Governor, it’s easy to argue that the tactic worked. What that stunt also did, was result in a court order, now 30 years old that restricts the GOP from targeting minority voters with these types of voter suppression antics.

So what does 1981 have to do with 2016? Well, with Republican nominee for president running around yelling about “rigged elections”, especially in minority cities and communities, and with his website signing up “election observers”, we’re back to plowing the same ground that we did in 1981.

I had all but forgotten that mess from back in the 1981 governor’s race, not until DNC campaign officials and reporters started connecting the dots between the rhetoric about “rigged elections” and poll watchers in 2016 with the court order that’s been in place since- that I started paying attention.

So heated has the issue become and so real is the possibility of intimidation at polling places, that the Democratic National Committee filed Civil Action 81-3876 on October 26^th in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey to make sure there’s not a replay of 1981.

The filing is asking the court to order the RNC to show cause as to why it should not be held in contempt of the consent decree. It’s also asking that the court ensure compliance in this election, extend the decree for another 8 years, and enjoin the RNC (in conjunction with the Trump campaign) from engaging in any type of voter intimidation.

The court filing spells out what brought us to this point, which is the talk about watching “certain areas” and by “certain areas, the Republican nominee has referenced minority cities and communities with a wink and nod saying “ You’ve got to get everybody to go out and watch… and when [I] say ‘watch,’ you know what I’m talking about, right?”

Whether Republican, Democrat, Independent, or undeclared, any effort to intimidate voters is one of the worst things a person can do in our system. Using fear to silence someone’s voice isn’t just about a specific election; it goes to health of our system.

Regardless of what party we belong to or what candidate we support, we all have a responsibility to ensure that no one is intimidated when going to their polling place to vote.

Anyone alleging to be a poll watcher can’t sit with the district board workers or touch the election materials, go to the voting machine during the voting hours, or challenge the voter directly. Only the district board can ask the voter questions.

Also, any electioneering has to be 100 feet or more from the outside entrance of the polling place, which means no campaign buttons, signs or campaign clothing within that distance and no harassing or intimidating any voters or causing any disturbances in the polling place.

In fact, it is a federal crime to conspire to deprive voters of a fair election. If anyone is harassing you or improperly interfering with your right to vote, you can ask a board worker for assistance.

If you are experiencing any harassment at the polls, you can also contact our County Clerk’s Office 856-453-4860, the County Board of Elections 856-453-5801, or call 1-866-our-vote to report the problem.

Tomorrow is Election Day- time to let your voice be heard.