I have a relative who's a lawyer. Hillary's got a huge ground game to protect the polls Nov. 8th.

[nolabear]

I didn't know this before talking to my relative yesterday. Both he and his son are working for Hillary in NC, (the son paid, and he got a photo with Hillary at the event the other day!) and I got interesting insight.

My relative is a lawyer, and on election day he will be hanging out in a "bunker" with a large bank of lawyers who will be on call to go to any polling place where Trump people are doing anything to violate election law. They're taking a class on how to approach people and explain what the laws are. They're quite willing to face down armed "poll watchers" who intimidate potential voters. I was told this is going on in many states.

What I don't know is if people know this is happening, that Hillary's people have got your back. I hope the word is spread, so people don't stay away out of fear, which they are ginning up more and more.

So look into it in your state if you can and let people know. It might help.

[winetourdriver]

1. Yes!

Oh this is so very good, spread the word!!

[nolabear]

4. Are you really a wine tour driver?

My son's in the wine industry. He's been on many a tour, both casually and professionally!

[klook]

66. ...and is there a way to combine wine tours and voting?

Might help with turnout...although perhaps a tough sell.

[winetourdriver]

74. I was

Sorry I am so late in getting back, I have been ill. I was a wine tour driver for eight years, but I have retired.

[nolabear]

75. Sorry you've been sick! Hope you're enjoying retirement.

[winetourdriver]

76. Thanks!

I have to say it was the most enjoyable gig I ever had..

[still_one]

2. Early voting in states that allow it is the best way to combat election fraud

[nolabear]

3. My relative's also driving people to the polls on the Sunday before the election.

In many African American churches it's a huge social event, and he's got lots of people who want rides. It sounds like quite the party. And it's not a Trump party!

[LenaBaby61]

7. nolabear .....

Thank you for sharing this very important information today

Secondly, tell your relative THANK YOU for all of the work he/his son are doing in the name of GOTV for Hillary/Tim, and thank your relative and all of his fellow attorneys for being there and for upholding our civil rights via our right to vote

[nolabear]

35. And thanks to all the lawyers HERE who are coming forward! I'm so impressed with us.

My relative is a lifelong, hard working liberal in a sea of conservatives. So am I, but my work is done in private. Hmmmm...wonder if they need therapists at the polls...

[Moonwalk]

34. We should ALL make it a party! Invite all those friends, relatives and neighbors...

...to a post-vote-picnic, party, barbecue! That would combat all those "I don't know if I'm gonna vote..." types. Their "I voted" sticker and some potluck food would serve as their invitation. I think we should all plan one and urge Hillary voters across the U.S. to do the same!

[still_one]

40. Kick and recommend

[Yonnie3]

5. There should be no armed "poll watchers" at my polling place,

unless the "poll watchers" ignore the law.

I vote at an elementary school and my state prohibits any firearms (permitted or otherwise) in the building or on the grounds.

[Gothmog]

55. State laws vary but I am not aware of any states that allow armed poll watchers

In most states, poll watchers have to be eligible voters in the county where the voting booth is located. That is why Trump's poll watchers from outside Philadelphia will not be unable to enter Philadelphia polling locations. In addition there is an injunction in place against the RNC that applies to Trump If these people are directly associated with Trump, then they are covered by an injunction that the Democrats have kept in place since 1982. http://electionlawblog.org/?p=85289

In the consent decree, “The RNC agreed that the RNC, its agents, servants, and employees would be bound by the Decree, ‘whether acting directly or indirectly through other party committees.” Does Trump count as the RNC’s agent in these circumstances? They are certainly acting in concert, and it is plausible to argue that Trump and the RNC are agents of each other for purposes of this election. Also, the activity Trump is talking about engaging violate the consent decree? One thing the consent decree says is that they must:

(e) refrain from undertaking any ballot security activities in polling places or election districts where the racial or ethnic composition of such districts is a factor in the decision to conduct, or the actual conduct of, such activities there and where a purpose or significant effect of such activities is to deter qualified voters from voting; and the conduct of such activities disproportionately in or directed toward districts that have a substantial proportion of racial or ethnic populations shall be considered relevant evidence of the existence of such a factor and purpose…

If this activity violates the consent decree, the DNC can ask for it to be extended for up to another 8 years.

I have been busy recruiting good democrats to be poll workers. The best thing that one can do to protect the vote is to work as an election worker. A good democrat serving as an election judge, assistant election judge or poll worker can do a great deal to protect the vote. Poll watchers are a poor substitute for having someone work the election as a poll worker

[The Green Manalishi]

61. Brilliant!

Did not know this.

Hillary is a pro. Don the con is a punk.

[Dustlawyer]

72. "Send lawyers, guns, and money!" ~ Warren Zevon

[Ms. Toad]

6. I'll be one of those in the "war room" for my county,

as I was in 2012.

[nolabear]

9. Terrific! If I could send you all scones and coffee I would!

[SunSeeker]

19. Thank you for your service, Ms. Toad!

[msanthrope]

8. I'm a lawyer...on the ground, communicating with the bunker. nt

[nolabear]

10. So proud of you all. Talk is easy. This work is vital!

[msanthrope]

14. Thank you! nt

[jzodda]

11. Me too....

We will be ready

[SunSeeker]

18. Thank you for your service, jzodda!

[SunSeeker]

16. Thank you for your service, msanthrope!

[Botany]

12. Don't worry I'll be on the job in OH.

BTW lots of bluster about "armed poll watchers" but that shit will not happen in OH.

[SunSeeker]

17. Thank you for your service, Botany!

[Botany]

21. In 2004 we weren't ready for "them" in OH

But ever since then we have working on "the problem." BTW one thing
you can count on is that most of the tea party/trump heads/born again
idiots is that they are bone ass stupid. Most of them are too dumb to
get the needed credentials to become a poll watcher.

BTW part 2 by election day HRC should have more then enough early
votes to have OH in the bag because of early voting.

[SunSeeker]

22. Good! Keep up the great work!

[nolabear]

26. I'm so heartened to hear this. I wish media would pick it up.

[Hekate]

13. This Is a most excellent use of all our donations, in that case. GO HILLARY!

[Mc Mike]

15. Election Protection groups will be there to help, too.

866 OUR VOTE, 866 MYVOTE1, 866 VE Y VOTA.

[anamandujano]

20. Wonderful news, thank you!

REC!

[Charlotte Little]

23. K&R

My Uncle is a former senator (no, I won't use his name on here, sorry, you'll just have to take my word for it).

My aunt, his wife and well known in her own right (won't reveal her name either), has told me the same thing. They live in a red state and are both democrats. She is very optimistic about HRC winning and has reassured me more than once (when I was bed-wetting like crazy).

What they've heard internally (totally hooked up, don't ya know), is that there is absolutely a coordinated and professional ground game in the red states to protect polls. HRC's ground game mimics our current POTUS in '08 and '12 and that's going to win her the election.

But, it is critical that everyone votes. The only way that Hillary won't win this easily is if folks stay home. That really is the bottom line, no joke.

And yes, sorry to admit this, but Trump could still win. It's highly unlikely, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility.

All the more reason to GOTV!

[nolabear]

36. Many thanks to your uncle and aunt. This stuff ain't for the faint of heart.

But I agree, the people who are working for Hillary (and that wretched establishment) are professional, dedicated, and know what they're doing.

I'm not going to relax til it's called, but I do feel more protected.

[smirkymonkey]

24. Good to know!

Thanks!

[gademocrat7]

25. K&R!

Thank you for helping ensure that people can cast their ballots without intimidation.

[handmade34]

27. yes, see letter below

for some reason the Hillary Camp mistook me for a lawyer and has been requesting my help... wish I was a lawyer just for this election

Friend,

Thank you for signing up online to volunteer with Hillary for America's voter protection team! Shaping the future of our country begins with something that is at the heart of what it means to be an American: the right to vote. That’s why we are working harder than ever in this election to ensure that every eligible voter can cast a ballot that is counted.

Will you join us in this effort? We need lawyers and law students across the country to help protect the vote by serving as poll observers in battleground states on Election Day. You’ll use your legal expertise to make sure that voting rules are applied fairly at the polls and help the campaign resolve issues that may arise.

We especially need volunteers in Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina; our other states include Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. If you would be willing to travel to any of those states for Election Day, please respond to this email with your full name, cell phone number, and the state you'd like to travel to. We'll connect you directly with our state voter protection team.Â

If you have any questions, please let us know and we'll do our best to answer them over email or set up a time to talk on the phone. Thank you for your support!

[nolabear]

28. I think I'll go donate some more. This is wonderful use of my money!

Thanks of posting!

[bench scientist]

29. Any lawyers or law students may sign up here to be poll watchers:

Volunteer with the Victory Counsel by filling out your profile below:

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/forms/volunteerattorneys/

I'm in Illinois and headed to MI for the election day.

GOTV.

[nolabear]

30. Thank you for helping! We need more good stories like this!

[bench scientist]

33. i know you are doing your part too Nolabear so thank you!

GOTV

[ancianita]

38. Is there such a bunker of lawyers in other states? I haven't heard of any. Glad for you, though.

[nolabear]

39. Read the replies. I think you'll be impressed.

[ancianita]

42. I'm not impressed yet. Many are being called. Just don't see much in place. I'm going to volunteer,

probably in Iowa, Wisconsin or Indiana.

[Ms. Toad]

44. I'm not sure what you're expecting to see in place.

There's not a lot to see ahead of election day.

Many boards of elections will have poll watchers during the peak voting periods, but we're rather unobtrusive. The role is primarily to watch, report, and summon assistance when we see a problem starting. In 2012, when I was a pollwatcher during the early voting period, most voters assumed I worked for the Board of Elections. So not much to see.

Training will be limited to individuals assigned to work the polling places - so you won't see much of that, either.

Typically there will be a pollwatcher assigned to each precinct on election day, with a couple of pollworkers who are permitted to be in any polling place so a last-minute replacement is available.

The kind of volunteering you are doing is also important, but not the formal pollwatcher work being discussed here. When you travel to a different state, your role is generally limited to GOTV or behind-the-flag-line work.

[mrmpa]

41. I offered my services to the county.......

Democratic Committee. Specifically to do poll watching. No return email or phone call from them. I'm in Pennsylvania, western side.

[Ms. Toad]

45. The response may depend on how many volunteers they have, and whether they know you.

My spouse has volunteered, and may not be used. She has mild cognitive impairment, doesn't necessarily read situations well, and has a tendency to do first and ask forgiveness later. If a pollwatcher misreads something - or violates the rules - the pollwatcher from the other side (or the election officials) can ask for them to be removed. Because pollwatchers are fixed (aside from 1-2 rovers per county), that would leave the precinct without a pollwatcher for the rest of election day.

The question of whether she will work on election day will likely come down to whether there are enough known entities to cover the precincts without her.

[mrmpa]

46. I was a judge of elections......

at a polling place for about 10 years. People on the committee know who I am.

[Ms. Toad]

47. Then I don't know what is going on. n/t

[Gothmog]

59. If you are an election worker, you can do far more good than you can as a poll watcher

When I train poll watchers, I always encourage these volunteers to consider working as election workers. Poll watchers are not allowed to talk to voters in most states and a good election worker can do far more to protect the vote than a poll watcher. If you are still scheduled to be an election worker, I encourage you to serve in that role

[mrmpa]

62. I was a good Judge of Elections............

no one ever left without either voting, or me directing them to the correct poll. Even the Judge from the other precinct sharing our hall directed people to me when there were questions.

[Gothmog]

65. That is great

I have been an election judge myself. It is a great way to understand the voting process. My youngest child and my son in law will be judges this cycle

I am serious that one can do far more good as an election judge in lieu of being a poll watcher. I would strongly prefer to have good people in place as election workers instead of being poll watchers

[Gothmog]

56. Try signing up on the victory counsel page

The Victory Counsel are looking for out of state attorneys to go to Penn. I was e-mailed today by the Victory Counsel program and Penn was one of the states where they are looking for volunteers.

[TeamPooka]

43. GOTV!!!

[NastyRiffraff]

49. Wonderful thread!

It's so good to know that Hillary's campaign is well aware of possible problems at the polls, and more important, is doing something about it!

And many, many thanks to all the people, lawyers and others, who are working to protect the vote.

[nolabear]

54. We need all the good news we can get!

I'm pretty confident of a win but I'm not confident there won't be crazy on parade.

[deathrind]

51. DNC / HRC better have

A robust legal team on the ground in every state in play. Because you can bet that RNC / Trump is going to have lawyers across the country doing their best to impact the democratic vote thru voter ID laws / voter roll purges...any technicality they can find to reduce votes for HRC. They don't have to win they just need to make it close and then route this election into court as happened in 2000.

[Gothmog]

52. The Victory Counsel program is well organized

Last edited Sat Oct 15, 2016, 06:36 PM - Edit history (1)

I have volunteered with Kerry/Edwards and the Obama voter protection teams

[Coyotl]

53. The deplorables at their training camp this weekend:

[emmadoggy]

57. One of the benefits of

early voting is avoiding this sort of stuff.

I voted yesterday!

[Gothmog]

58. There will be a good voter protection operation in place

I am with the Victory Counsel Program. I have volunteered with both Kerry/Edwards and the the Obama Voter Protection team and the Victory Counsel program is the best organized program.

I am planning on staying in Texas to help with the Texas voter protection operations but I went to Florida in 2004. I have friends who are headed to Colorado and other states.

[RoccoRyg]

60. This is great news.

I'm an election judge here in Illinois, and while voters don't need an ID to vote (only a signature that matches the one on file), ANY person can challenge a voter. Anybody can claim you're not who you say you are and aren't allowed to vote, and the burden is on you to prove your eligibility. The judges then vote on letting you vote or not.

I wouldn't doubt for a second that Trump or some other right-wing troublemaker would deploy people like this to polling places, especially in swing states, to chip away at Hillary's lead. Luckily, Secretary Clinton has been dealing with this for twenty-five years and is prepared for all their tricks.

[Madam45for2923]

63. Thanks for sharing these awesome news! Much love & appreciation for all helping!

[mountain grammy]

64. Good to hear this..

Colorado is all mail in ballots which is great.

[hay rick]

67. Met a lawyer at our local office two days ago.

I'm in a small county in Florida- he is from DC but is already in place for the election. I asked him if he was involved in the successful appeal that got the voter registration deadline extended after Hurricane Matthew. He said no, but some of his colleagues were. I also know a couple local attorneys who have volunteered. I am confident that the legal team in Florida is ready.

[fun n serious]

68. Thank you.

This is comforting.

[GusBob]

69. "armed poll watchers"

Gropers

[yardwork]

73. Good. And I don't think Democrats will stay away out of fear.

Democrats - especially people of color - in NC are mad as hell. The tea party has tried to disenfranchise our votes. I predict large turnout among Democrats in NC.

[Thinkingabout]

77. I will be working in a precinct and will have an open ear for voter fraud. I worried

More about voter suppression such as voter ID but in Texas the courts threw it out.