Thanks so much for your input FGS; you have very good ideas and well-worth thinking about; you also gave me an idea (to add to one I thought of earlier):
1. The RNC should be requested to put together, if not already, ALL training materials necessary for poll watchers, i.e., what is not allowed to be worn (emblems of party affiliation, etc.), their duties, their rights, including FEDERAL LAWS Protecting Poll Watchers (Congressman Billybob stated one, already, Civil Rights Act _______ (1828? note to self: need to check); FEDERAL LAWS pertaining to LE.
2. These materials should then be sent to each STATE RNC for completion. The STATE RNC would add the particular laws to be followed within their own state, including voting times (begin/end), etc.
3. Upon completion from both the FEDERAL and STATE level RNC's, the material should be sent to each precinct where they will make copies of the training manual and copies be made and given to each poll watcher AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. This way, LE will not have questions as to what is allowed, who to possibly charge with crimes of initimidation or fraud.
As I said, I don't know how much of this is in the training material already existing, or what organization compiles it, but I best STR could tell us.
Thanks for your input, Jeff.
nic
I think the RNC could be very helpful with generic materials for poll watchers, particularly regarding federal election laws. The problem as you stated is state and local voting procedures and laws can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, thereby complicating the RNC's participation. I don't know what the best approach might be, but surely there are some RNC operatives on FR that could offer up some advice on this very important issue. My gut feeling is that we approach this at a lower level, say, the state's party organization where most of the local law's foibles are already known. I dunno???
Maybe we should consider starting a new thread dedicated to requesting input and advice regarding enhancement of the poll watcher program.
FGS