When are you allowed to photograph or video-tape at a voting precinct?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Inside? fifty feet out? Can we sit it out at a parking lot to ask people to tell us their stories if there are any machines that switched votes? Can we hand out flyers to people with a phone number to call if anything like that happens? Does the Democratic party have poll watchers approved for critical precincts that will be given the right to monitor the elections?

I'm just wondering what tools we can use on election day?

[ClassWarrior]

1. You can probably find some answers here...

http://www.videothevote.org

This site just went up, and I haven't had a chance to look at it more closely.

NGU.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Great link!

[Demit]

2. I would caution you not to get in voter's faces with that stuff.

I suggest that you ask first before you turn the camera on. I would DEFINITELY be spooked if I saw someone with a video camera at my polling place. Be very careful or something like this could backfire.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. You don't have to tell me.

I once recognized a neighbor in a long line of people waiting to vote and I made the mistake of going up to her to say hello. I had just voted and I was walking to the parking lot and when I saw her, I waved and was going to go up to say hello and she gave me the most disapproving look I have ever seen in my life. My crime? I guess a month earlier, I had published the link to moveon.org in the homeowner's newsletter that I created and published at my own cost. I didn't see any harm in it because this is such a staunch Republican city that there were no Democratic opponents on the entire ballot.

[Demit]

5. Do you know enough of your neighbors to approach them before election

day? The reason I ask is, I have the feeling that there are going to be a boatload of organizations hovering around polling places on election day. It really can be off-putting to voters. Now, I'm in a big city and a lot of polling places are in neighborhood locations, with narrow sidewalks. People stroll up the street to vote. We have some pretty diehard voters here, but some people see a crowd ready to descend on them with literature, etc and it alienates them. Maybe your situation is different, but...just a word to the wise (I used to be a Dem party minor functionary).

If you could knock on doors beforehand, ask people would they like to be in your "documentary" of Election Day", they would be prepared. They might get a kick out of it too.

Otherwise, if you can still get footage from a distance, unobtrusively, and if that's any use to you, I would recommend that. Or figure out some surefire friendly non-threatening way to approach people. I think emotions will be high that day and things will be tense. Good luck!

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Honey, my immediate neighborhood is one lawsuit away from being

honest. That describes the atmosphere, in a nutshell. Living here I wonder what sin I committed to be stuck with so many selfish and/or greedy opportunists. When I have to walk along the property line, I keep my head down to make sure I don't make eye-contact. So knocking on doors is just not an option.

[Demit]

7. Oh, well, if they're all Repubs, I take back everything I said about not

alienating voters. Alienate away! :)

And take an extra videotape with you on Election Day in case you run out!