Democrats! Use VIDEO PHONES to Document GOP Election Fraud

[McCamy Taylor]

We know why Karl Rove is still smiling and why W. has no plan for defeat. It is because they both expect GOP operatives to be out in force obstructing Democratic voters. They expect long lines and malfuctioning machines at Democratic polling places. They expect Diebold machines to change Democratic votes to Republican.

We have the tools to document this election fraud activity! All you need is your Video Cell Phone. Stick around your local Democratic polling place. If the line is too long, record it. If the doors do not open on time, record it. If they run out of ballots, record it. If suspicious people are giving out bad advice record THEIR FACES. If the police set up road blocks, record their license plates.

Anything you capture on video that does not look right can be uploaded on YouTube as well as being sent to the Democrats and the news. See how Republican obstructionists like having their faces on the internet telling people that they will be arrested for voting. See how quickly something gets done about the lack of machines when it is on YouTube and the whole country can see it. Be sure to film the closest GOP polling spot and its short lines and uncrowded facilities for comparison, just to drive the point home if you are going to put up a video.

Now, this is the most important. We have all heard about Diebold machines that switch the votes before people's eyes. If everyone would film the screen when they vote, maybe we could capture some of those moments on video and post them on YouTube. Such footage would be priceless. It would probably end E-voting in this country.

:dem:

[The_Warmth]

1. This needs to be more places than here.

kick it

[volstork]

2. K&R!!!!! n/t

[niallmac]

3. Great idea! Technology cuts both ways. K and Arrgh!

:kick: :applause:

[KatieB]

4. Kick it

[lvx35]

5. Recommended!

very important.

[Maraya1969]

6. THIS IS THE BEST IDEA YET. RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!

This needs to be sent to every Democratic organization and every Democratic strategist and every Democratic candidate. I'll do my part!

[maseman]

8. Just got my new camera phone

[Mountainman]

7. Not to disagree with you, but do you remember the civil rights commission

hearings after the 2000 elections. They had all the evidence anyone could want and yet nothing happened, the NAACP got bought off and that was the end of it.

[Maraya1969]

9. Yea but that wasn't millions of people protesting.

[tblue]

10. We need someone at every AFRICAN-AMERICAN precinct especially!

We already know the Republicans don't want black people to vote. Black precincts are easy to identify, and the Republicans have figured out how to make it problematic for people in those precincts to vote. That should be our #1 target, to make sure they are allowed to vote. Believe me, that's the Republiican's #1 target.

Rule #1: DO NOT WEAR partisan buttons, etc. or they will throw you out.

I'm signed up to be an official pollworker all day and I'm sure they won't allow me to record anything. Wish I had a secret spy camera, but I will be watching to make sure the workers at my precinct do things fairly.

[emlev]

11. VideoTheVote.org and Velvet Revolution are coordinating!

Go to Video The Vote and Velvet Revolution's Election Protection Strike Force websites for more information and to sign up to do this.

People are needed all over the country to do this. Get involved!
If you have better quality video capability than video phones, please use it!

It's also important to document by video the (likely lily-white) precincts where voting goes smoothly.

Check out the other exciting elements of the Strike Force, too!
-$250,000 reward re: election fraud
-Days of Democracy
-Election Day Vigilance
-Internet Newsroom on Election Night
-Ongoing litigation efforts and other legal strategies
and more!

(edited because I forgot one list item)

[nolabels]

12. This is election is getting better all the time

YOUTUBE, camera / cell phones, Internet blogs and just so many other things that are going on.
Looks like the makings of quite a crescendo coming up :popcorn:

[StraightDope]

13. Good thinking...

Hell, those of you who are functioning as poll-watchers come Novemberish might want to invest, if economically feasible, in some superior video-suveillance equipment in order to document the aforesaid miscarriages of democracy that we ALL know are going to occur, one way or another.

"The revolution will not be televised..."

That is 100% right. If we are all willing to do our part to document the egregious malfeasance that is soon to marr our democratic system once AGAIN, then it will be plain for one and all to see THIS time around!

Oh, and the unnamed philosopher who expressed the non-televisual sentiment, I say verily unto thee:

"The revolution will not be televised. It will be uploaded and disseminated via YouTube!"

Fie on those who would so callously discard the American experiment!

Fie I say!

[Kurovski]

14. K&R! That's a great idea.

GOTV!

[emlev]

15. SIGN UP WITH VIDEOTHEVOTE.ORG!

Sorry to yell, but I want to make sure people see this. See my post above for more info.

[AzDar]

16. A very GOOD idea!! n/t

[Cobalt-60]

17. I say, that's a corking idea you have there

Nothing cleanses quite like light.

[formercia]

18. Check your state laws

In Maine, its against the law to use one inside of a polling place.

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. I thought about that, but then considered....

that gathering evidence of fraud might be a valid use of civil disobedience. For those willing to accept the consequences of course.

[formercia]

23. If you violate the law in obtaining your evidence

you will have a difficult time getting it admitted in Court, besides swearing under oath that you committed a crime.

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. No doubt it would be inadmissible in a court of law. However...

the court of public opinion is another matter.

As I said, voters interested in pursuing this tactic need to make sure they are prepared for the consequences.

[formercia]

27. Never send one into harm's way

unless they understand what they are doing and the risk involved.

You can only push the man so far.

[Pacifist Patriot]

29. Sounds like you and I are in absolute agreement.

[formercia]

35. In agreement up to the point where someone

violates the law.

The only way to win is to prove that you you deserve it, otherwise we become just another flavor of them.

[Pacifist Patriot]

41. Civil disobedience is a matter of personal conscience.

This particular occasion is not one in which I would engage the tactic, but I can see where others might feel it worth the consequences. I just think anyone considering it should ALSO consider the consequences. That's all.

[Joe Chi Minh]

38. Even to provide film a felony in progress? That would take some

justifying. They're shameless enough, but would they be allowed to get away with it?

[SCDem]

20. I'm a democrat and I'm a poll manager

and I'd have to tell you to put your phone away while in the polling place.

Why not use your time more productively and become a poll manager that way you can ensure no GOP corruption.

[grizmaster]

22. I'm working as a polling supervisor

did it for the first time for the primary and I agree. working the polling place is one of the best ways we can help insure clean elections.

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. Question

The booths in my polling place still have curtains. No one would know if I photographed something with my cell phone. Well, if I had a cell phone that took pictures of course. I'm not that hip yet.

Is that sort of privacy an exception for voting these days?

[SCDem]

26. Our voting booths do not have curtains

How would taking a picture inside the booth help against GOP fraud? In the primary there was a gentleman with a phone at the booth and he was talking to his wife about who he should vote for, we had to tell him to turn his phone off.

Have you called your board of elections and asked when poll training is ocurring? I highly suggest you get involved as a poll worker if you are concerned about your vote being counted or people being intimidated while they are in the polling place.

And if you insist on bringing your phone and taking pictures and you have a curtain, have at it.

[Pacifist Patriot]

30. Hold on, I was just asking a question...

about how other poll booths are set up. I've never said I would be participating in this event. I don't have a camera phone, I don't have touchscreen voting and phones are not permitted in my area.

I'm with you. I'm not sure what it would prove either. I was just curious about privacy for those who did think it was a good idea.

As I've said further upthread when noting that some might take this as an opportunity for civil disobedience, anyone who wants to do this needs to be aware of, and ready for, any consequences that might be associated with their actions. I'm a stay at home mom with three small children, even if I had the camera and touchscreen voting, I am not prepared to sacrifice their care while I sit in jail or have court appearances over a phone in a poll booth.

Now when they're older and with respect to different laws I might consider civil disobedience, i.e. an arrest at a peace rally.

Everyone has to make their own decision about this suggestion.

[Tigress DEM]

32. One concern I'm hearing is when machines malfunction.

In 2004 the extent of that wasn't documented. Partly because it was so unexpected that the machines would malfunction in that way.

It seems to me in some areas that taking a pic would be considered a 'receipt' for your vote and might be illegal. In my area it is. I think that should be changed because we need some sort of solid record that our vote was counted correctly.

Still people doing this just might wind up getting arrested and should consider if they want to get involved in it as a civil disobedience and make sure they are ready for the consequences. If it winds up being looked at as interferring with the voting process it could wind up being a felony.

Pics outside of the polling place wouldn't be as much of a hot button, especially if taken with a digital and a zoom from 100 ft, the legal line. But again, I'd check with a reporter or call a newspaper for general info because even if you aren't breaking any laws if you don't know your rights someone might still confiscate your evidence.

[Joe Chi Minh]

39. What do you do about malfunctioning machines?

[SCDem]

42. Follow the procedure

Put down that machine temporarily - call the Board of Elections that has people going from one site to another responding to any problems - have the person who the machine malfunctioned on fill out a paper ballot.

I encourage everyone to do poll training in your area because you will know the proper procedures are set up to handle with unexpected things and then also know if that happens to you what your rights are. An image on your phone shows nothing and proves nothing.

[Joe Chi Minh]

45. Meanwhile, large numbers of voters will be denied the use of the

requisite number of voting machines. The people, by now forming long queues, will have to wait an impossibly long time, while each complaint is dealt with.

Also, what sort of monitoring of the count of the paper ballots will there be? It's chaos waiting to happen again, isn't it?

[OnionPatch]

21. I'm working the polls

and I think this is a great idea! I'll do it!
Kicked and recommended!

[SallyMander]

28. Attention Columbus residents!!!

The League of Young Voters will be working in collaboration with PFAW on election day on a "Video the Vote" effort. We need volunteers, especially people that have their own cameras! But even if you don't, please please please get in touch with me: [e-mail]

More info at: http://columbus.indyvoter.org/

[Auntie Bush]

34. Thanks Sally and welcome! Good luck! n/t

[robinlynne]

31. kicked, recommended, and applauded.

[Contrary1]

33. Your own personal receipt. Brilliant! n/t

[formercia]

36. Why a disposable film camera may be better

It's called Chain of Custody. A digital image can be altered, but a disposable camera can be turned into the proper authorities, or if you prefer, public opinion. Even if the digital image is genuine and unaltered, the opposition can obfuscate it in court while a film image makes it easier to convince others that your argument has credibility. A photograph cannot stand alone without other corroborating evidence.Photographs can be staged and attorneys will use every argument to convince the court the motive was deception.

[Joe Chi Minh]

37. This sounds as if it might well be a historic document, with

epoch-making implications, and not just for the US.

[Kurovski]

40. Kick.(nt)

[pa28]

43. Absolutely! K&R

Be your own election monitor.

On November 8th the body of evidence will be too overwhelming to ignore.

[ClassWarrior]

44. Small camcorders too.

NGU.

[Acryliccalico]

46. n/t

:kick:

[LonelyLRLiberal]

47. Volunteer to be a poll watcher for the Democratic Party

Your job is to observe the voting procedures and report violations of voting law to the Democratic Party immediately. You get to stay all day (or whatever your shift is) and you can't get kicked out unless you violate the rules applicable to poll watchers. You will be trained in what to watch for, how to interact with the poll workers and how to report.

I urge everyone to contact their State Democratic Party HQ to volunteer. They especially need lawyers or other people with legal training or experience - paralegals, etc.