Actually,each precent gets a democratic challenger and a republican challenger. 1 each.

its state law that a challenger "may" be present. So I don't see what the big gripe is to be honest. As long as there is 1 and 1, I think its ok.

Ok, what does it mean, voters qualifications changed? What will it allow?

I'll tell you what the big deal is - it's the republicans doing it in (and it's spelled)precincts that are in democratic areas where a lot of first time voters are showing up. Such a wonderful thing to have people challenging your very right to vote. Its crap. If the local voting officials do their JOB then there isn't an issue to begin with. As long as outsiders can immediately begin stepping up and getting in people's face - THAT is where the election system goes wrong. People go and people vote. If later on the ballots are checked and there was fraud of some sort THEN you deal with it. You don't mess the process up right there at the front door!

why I don't have a problem with it is that you have the possibility of fraud in so many places.

btw - sorry about spelling that wrong.

Is it not true that there is a county in Ohio that has more registered voters then actual adults? That is a specific reason to have someone there to "watch" the votes.

Like I said, there is 1 challenger for both parties, that makes it fair.

I agree that it should be dealt with AFTER the election, but if you have felons and non-americans coming in to vote, they must be stopped as that is illegal and not allowed.

I am all for everyone who can vote to go out and vote, but I don't want illegal voting going on, regardless of party affiliation.

see here

Like I said, state law allows challengers to enter the polls.

I am sure there is all sorts of alligations flying this morning... There was in 2000 too - in Florida. By he republicans. You need to know I am neither reb or dem. I am not crazy about partisan politics to begin with. But this is interfering with the process. Let the friggin' lawyers count the damn ballots and look for fraud later!

It is the principal of the thing - and the lower court saw that - it is being used to possibly intimidate. It is not a NECESSARY FUNCTION of the VOTING PROCESS to allow this. YES it CAN BE ALLOWED to happen but it is NOT NEEDED. So that is why the lower courts said - "this is not needed and shall not be allowed". Now that's been overturned.

Is it not true that there is a county in Ohio that has more registered voters then actual adults? That is a specific reason to have someone there to "watch" the votes.

Nobody should be watching VOTES, first of all. The poll workers, who have been trained, should be the ones checking voters in and checking them against the registry. There should be no partisan "challengers" to any voter at any poll. They aren't there to "watch" and make sure the election is fair; they're there to discount as many of the opposition's votes as possible.

I should add that if we want to make sure that the poll challengers are not being partisan and trying to challenge even eligible, registered voters, that they should be able to challenge only those voters registered with the same party they are registered with.

Then we'll see how many of them are really interested in making sure the election is fair.

there's already a wire report out there that a freelance photographer was arrested in west palm beach for taking pictures of the voters waiting in line.

man, it's a weird day.

Yah... It's going to get a lot stranger still... Unfortunately.

The photographer was arrested because he was too close to the polls. He was supposed to be 50 feet away, or some such, and ignored a deputy who told him to move back.

So, again, we have to balance freedom of speech with a voter's right not to be intimidated. I don't have a problem with the photographer being required to stand back 50 or 100 feet.

just to clarify, I agree that "watchers" are not needed, but the politicians have made this election so bad the way it is that it forces people to be skeptical of the routines and tricks people will poll

Specifically in states like Florida and Ohio. The reason for poll challengers is because of the scare tactics the damn politicians are using on our society and stuff.

i.e; Dems saying repubs are intimidating black voters

Repubs saying dems are using illegal voters to cast their votes.

Its a damn vicious circle, but with all that mudslinging, I don't trust the current poll watchers, regardless of how well they have been trained. There needs to be eyes on it to make sure things are at least considered fair.

I voted in Indiana today. Everything went smoothly and I feel badly for those in Ohio and Florida. However, one poll worker kinda screwed up, IMO. We have an issue about Inventory Tax in Indiana and that is one of the questions on the ballot. Well, she was talking about how that is the question that is slowing it up and made an off the cuff remark about , "People should just vote yes", then immediately covered her mouth and was like, "I didn't mean to say that"....

Well, it didn't bother me too much at the time, but for some reason, I have a feeling that wasn't necessarily off the cuff. I think she may had intended to say it because she knew she wasn't suppose to.

Anyways, its a dirty world out in electionville right now.

Good luck to both candidates.

btw - I really really really hope none of the networks call a winner tonight. We still have thousands of military ballots to go through and I think those are VERY important.

I agree with you there... It is a friggin' mess! And that was BS what that lady did at your polling site!

Hey, it could be worse. I am in mind of a line from the stock-brokerage scene in the classic film Gremlins 2:

"Well, it's rather brutal around here. We're advising our clients to put everything they've got into canned food and shotguns!"

Let us all hope the election doesn't get quite that bad.