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Let the jousting begin .......

Complaints made about voting help

By Stephen Palkot Monday, October 30, 2006 2:09 PM CST

As polls reveal the Congressional District 22 race may be heading to a photo finish, allegations began coming from both sides of improper activity at polling sites.

Following on the heels of Friday's claim that Republican write-in candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs illegally campaigned inside an early voting location, Democrats complained about the degree to which elections workers have been assisting voters with the eSlate voting machines.
Since the first day of early voting, Oct. 23, Fort Bend County elections administrator J.R. Perez said he has heard allegations from poll watchers for Democratic candidate Nick Lampson that elections workers have been overzealous in the degree to which they have been assisting voters with the write-in procedure.

Perez defended his employees.

"I personally think it's a disservice to the voter that we are being gagged in instances," he said. "I think the voter needs some extra assistance."

Poll workers have been "restricted to too great a degree" in their efforts to facilitate voting, said Perez. He clarified "restricted" to mean that he believes too many complaints have been lodged against them, leaving them "worried about doing something wrong" and reluctant to properly assist voters.

No allegations have been raised, though, that poll watchers have directly interfered with the actions of poll workers.

Perez said many voters are using the eSlate machines for the first time, casting votes in what can be a large and complex ballot including city and school district bond propositions - along with the District 22 race. He said a poll worker could theoretically enter a voting machine to answer questions by a voter about the balloting process, as long as the poll worker does not influence the decision of the voter.

Since hearing the complaints, Perez has sent a note clarifying the law to all elections workers. Nevertheless, he defends the actions of poll workers and their decisions to assist voters.

Representatives of both the Lampson and the Sekula-Gibbs' campaigns said Monday morning they could not comment on the allegations or activities of poll observers.

In the meantime, Democrats are following up on their complaint that Sekula-Gibbs broke election laws last week by speaking with a poll worker at a voting location in the First Colony Community Center.

Sekula-Gibbs, an at-large member of the Houston city council, had been campaigning Friday outside of the early voting location, which is allowed only more than 100 feet from the polling site. However, a Democratic observer has alleged that Sekula-Gibbs entered the polling site and spoke with several people there, including voters.

Sekula-Gibbs said she entered the building only to use the restroom. She admitted speaking briefly with a poll worker but denies that she spoke with voters or campaigned.

"Instead of focusing on the issues, her opponent (Lampson) is attacking to try to divert attention away from the issues," said Sekula-Gibbs' campaign manager, Lisa Dimond.

Texas Democratic general counsel Chad Dunn has said an affidavit will be completed, based on the account of the poll worker, and will be submitted to the Texas Secretary of State's Office for review.

“Sekula-Gibbs's illegal electioneering smacks of the Tom DeLay-style campaign tactics that have plagued Texas voters for years,” said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie. “Voters have a right to cast their ballot without Shelley Sekula-Gibbs or any other candidate looking over their shoulder or twisting their arm.”

The Houston Chronicle on Monday reported that the race between Lampson and Sekula-Gibbs has become extremely tight, with the two candidates within a percentage point of each other in the most recent poll.