[Stand Watch Listen]

Article for the FR archives

BOSTON (AP) Republican Mitt Romney's campaign filed a complaint several hours after polls opened Tuesday, saying union workers were improperly influencing voters in the city's Jamaica Plain section.

Romney campaign adviser Rob Gray said officials with the Service Employees International Union were seen entering voting booths with some voters in Ward 11, Precinct 4 of Jamaica Plain.

''We've got union officials going into the booth with people and telling them how to vote,'' Gray said.

Silvia Panfil, a spokeswoman for SEIU in Massachusetts, said the union was not aware of any wrongdoing and it had not received any notice of a complaint.

Secretary of State William Galvin was reviewing the complaint, said spokesman Brian McNiff.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shannon O'Brien's campaign called the complaint outrageous and said there was ''no illegal or untoward activity.''

State law prohibits political activity within 150 feet of a polling place.

Romney complains of voter irregularities in Boston

[linn37]

is this illegal?

[borisbob69]

Say it ain't so...damn, why am I not surprised? You'd think these union thugs/goons/hacks would figure out that to the libs/dims...all they are is a means to an end!

[mitchbert]

Please don't take this personally but what the heck kind of third world election processes do these places have anyway? I've worked Canadian elections and this behavior would get the individuals hauled out of the polling place at the very first instance of this, likely by law enforcement. Who's the genius that decided it was appropriate to have anyone connected with a political party in any way shape or form having any say in how a polling place operates? Are party workers allowed to count the votes, too? We have incredibly strict rules as to what can and can't happen in and around a poll and ANY deviation results in immediate expulsion of the offending party. Party observers are not even allowed to speak to voters if the conversation is anything that would suggest influence as to the voters vote. They can observe...nothing more. I personally told a Liberal Party observer to cease and desist at the last election I worked and when he gave me lip I only had to glance at the Returning Officer and by the time the Lib turned around he found himself face to face with a very PO'd looking Toronto cop. Didn't hear boo out of him for the rest of the day.

I can't believe some of the shenanigans I read about here. Why do you folks put up with this? Really!

That aside, have a great election day and here's hoping for a Republican rout. Cheers, eh!

[zingzang]

I thought Boston had some tough people over there, what gives? If anyone steps into the voting booth with me in an attempt to influence my vote, they can expect to do plenty of explaining to the doctor as to how that boot got lodged so far up their ass!

[dd5339]

We had better call 1-866-VOTE-411 to report the voter fraud!

ps It costs the DNC, $0.50/call. Let's call lots!

Semper Fi