Orange County Poll Workers Complain About Harassment

[quaoar]

http://www.wesh.com/news/3845818/detail.html

POSTED: 9:07 pm EDT October 24, 2004
UPDATED: 9:15 pm EDT October 24, 2004

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush is advising state elections officials to remove people who intimidate voters at early voting sites.

The move comes after Orange County's elections supervisor complained of harassment at the polls from campaign solicitors, observers and members of the media.

Bush, in a letter sent Sunday to Orange supervisor of elections Bill Cowles, said he was disturbed by the complaints, adding any harassing behavior should not be tolerated under Florida's election laws.

While noting that there are no formal restrictions on soliciting and observers in Florida's early voting provisions, he encouraged the state's 67 Florida election supervisors to preserve order by directing observers, solicitors and press into special locations where they would not interfere with rights of electors.

[steve2470]

1. this sounds good at first blush, am I wrong ?

n/t

[msongs]

2. sounds to me like they are setting up "free speech" zones.....

like the ones around george w's appearances........ten miles away hehe

Msongs
Riverside CA

[tedoll78]

3. You're right.

It sounds good.

I'm wondering if he's seen the campaign's internals as well. I've noticed that he hasn't been making many statements lately about "delivering Florida's electoral votes to brother." Maybe he knows that turnout is going to doom the Chimp there?

[AlFrankenFan]

4. Thought you meant OC, California

Because that wouldn't surprise me in the least. I've seen Republicans heckle Democrats registering people outside of places.

[livinbella]

5. This is intended to keep observers far from the action

[SoCalDem]

6. "special locations"??.......Like Georgia???

:P

[sherilocks]

7. This thread on a similar story in south Florida

shows that the "victims" of the intimidation were actually rethug operatives. Research was done by DUers.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1150236#1155330

[truthisfreedom]

8. anything done by a bush is for a bush. watch this. it's bound to be evil.

anything jeb does is evil.

[MsFlorida]

9. They are complaining about us.

This is to help the repugs. Democratic supporters are at the early voting sites giving out information to people arriving at the polls (in a very nice way, I might add). A good thing for us, bad for the repugs, thus they have to complain.

[DuaneBidoux]

10. I still think it's good...because it protects Dems as well

Dems may be handing out materials "in a nice way" (I'm not convinced at that point it makes a difference anyway), but by setting up the zone and controlling the behavior it will also have to be applied to the people who are not handing out material "in a nice way" (i.e., the Rethuglicans who are intimidating and challenging minorities).