Juan D'Arce of Miami complained to the Republicans that he tried early voting in downtown Miami. He was wearing a Bush pin, but he couldn't stand the taunting, so he turned away and did not vote.
Howard Sherman complained about his voting experience at North Shore Branch Library in Miami-Dade County. He found a crowd of Kerry supporters blocking the door.
"They were positioned directly in front of the entrance to the library in such a manner that it would be impossible to avoid them while entering the polling place," he reported.
Sherman said he tried to slip through the thinnest part of the crowd, but a woman in a Kerry T-shirt grabbed his arm and asked if he was voting for Kerry.
"I seem to recall from civics class that this sort of electioneering is illegal," Sherman complained to the Republicans.
Republican Lawrence Gottfried, who became a poll watcher in Delray Beach after what he thought was inappropriate behavior at the polls, said the things he saw upset him.
Gottfried said that while working at the Delray poll, actor Danny DeVito and his wife, actress Rhea Perlman, showed up. Gottfried is a fan, but he didn't ask for an autograph.
"I said, `Look Mr. DeVito, I'm a big fan of yours and Rhea's, but you are blocking the entrance. You're campaigning, you've got a Kerry-Edwards button on, and it's not appropriate."
Gottfried, who used to be a Democrat, said the things he saw were "ridiculous."
"There is a time for partisanship and it's OK to have a different point of view, but don't violate the sanctity of the polling area," he said.
This is gonna be one ugly election, folks. And it's not going to be decided by the voters on Election Day. It's going to be decided by silver-tongued lawyers and federal judges many weeks after that.
Unless, of course, it's not close. But it will be, I'm afraid...
Article comments
1 - Vic
No, no, no... only REPUBLICANS use intimidation, never poor, defenseless Democrats.
Vic
2 - Tim Hall
Another close disputed election and I don't believe America's republic will survive. Things have got so polarised that whoever's judged the loser won't accept defeat; I find it difficult to see how things won't become violent.
The French are on their fifth Republic already. I hope America's Second Republic has a better electoral system than this one.
3 - Winston Smith
These stories, if true, are terrible and the offenders should be prosecuted. MUST be prosecuted.
Let me note, however, that:
1. Such stories are often fabricated, so we need more data here.
2. Incidentally, we can list such apalling behavior on both sides, and it is usually worse on the right.
3. Although it sucks, electioneering of this kind is common. (Which is, of course, not to say that it's right.) I remember in the '84 election a fratboy and his sorority sis girlfriend stood behind me to vote, her with a big fat Reagan sticker on her sweater. "You know, that's electioneering" sez me, very politely. She looks back at me blankly. "It's illegal," sez me, patiently explaining to her what electioneering was. Poking her nose in the air, she looked away, making no effort to remove the sticker.
4. Incidentally, a house in my down was set on fire because it had an anti-war sign and a U.N. flag on it. Did that bother you?
4 - Jim Carruthers
Some people say that spreading this type of "story" with suspect attribution, and lack of veracity is precisely the sort of thing needed to discourage citizens from voting.
I know, I know, you just shovel the coal, you don't actually choose what the engine does.
By the way, this one time, a friend of mine got back from vacation in Florida, and you wouldn't believe what happened to their toothbrush.