Rules for poll watchers coming next year

Rules for poll watchers coming next year

WEEK, WE HAD OURFIRST PRESIDENTIALDEBATE.AMONGST MANYTOPICS DISCUSSEDDURING THE 90MINUTES WAS THECONCEPT OF POLLWATCHERS.3 NEWS NOWREPORTER JESSIKAEIDSON TELLS USWHAT POLLWATCHING LOOKSLIKE HERE INNEBRASKA ANDWHAT CHANGES ARECOMING TO THEPOSITION."I'M URGIN MYSUPPORTERS TO GOINTO THE POLLS ANDWATCH VERYCAREFULLYBECAUSE THAT'SWHAT HAS TOHAPPEN." RIGHTNOW IN NEBRASKA,ANYONE CANDESIGNATETHEMSELVES AS APOLL WATCHER, BUTGROUPS LIKE CIVICNEBRASKA WILLTRAIN THOSEINTERESTED IN POLLWATCHING ON WHATTO LOOK OUT FORON ELECTION DAY."WE TRAININDIVIDUALS TO GOTO POLLINGLOCATIONS ANDTHEY ACT AS POLLOBSERVERS, WHERETHEY LOOK ATTHINGS SUCH A WAITTIME, HOW MANYPROVISIONALBALLOTS ARE BEINGISSUES.AND THEY ALSOPERFORMADDITIONALFUNCTIONS SUCH ASASSISTING VOTERS.IT CAN BESOMETHING ASSIMPLE AS LOOKINGUP ON THEIRPHONES IF THEY'REREGISTERED TOVOTE OR IF THEY'REAT THE RIGHTPOLLING PLACE."POLL WATCHERS AREALSO TRAINED TOMAKE SURECORRECTINFORMATION ISBEING GIVEN OUTAND THAT POLLINGLOCATIONS AREADHERING TO THE'AMERICANS WITHDISABILITIES ACT'.CIVIC NEBRASKAALSO HAS VOTINGATTORNEYS WHOARE ON CALL THATDAY.SARPY COUNTYELECTIONCOMMISSIONMICHELLE ANDAHLSAYS SHE HAS HADPOSITIVEEXPERIENCESWORKING WITH POLLWATCHERS FROMGROUPS LIKE CIVICNEBRASKA.SHE ALSOWELCOMES POLLWATCHERS THAT ARENOT WITH ANYGROUP AS LONG ASVOTING IS NOTIMPEDED."AS FAR AS POLLWATCHED THATRELATE TO ANAVERAGE CITIZENWHO'S NOT PART OFAN ORGANIZTION,HAVING THOSEPEOPLE SHOW UP ATTHE POLLING SITEAND SELF IMPOSINGTHEMSELVES AS APOLL WATCHER, IT'SNOT A CONCERN SOMUCH AS LONG ASTHEY READ UP ONWHAT THE RULESARE WHAT THEY CANAND CANNOT DO ANDJUST HOW TOGENERALLYINTERACT OR NOTINTERACT WITHVOTERS IN A WAYTHAT INTERFERESWITH VOTING."THOUGH THERE ARENOT HARD RULES ONTHE BOOK FOR WHOIS AND IS NOT A POLLWATCHER AT THISTIME, THAT WILL BECHANGING NEXTYEAR.STATE SENATORMATT HANSENWORKED WITHLOCAL ELECTIONOFFICIALS TO WRITEA LAW ADDRESSINGPOLL WATCHERS."SO THIS WOULDGIVE THEM ANOPPORTUNITY TOKIND OFPREREGISTER WITHTHE SECRETARY OFSTATE OR THE LOCALELECTION OFFICIAL,HAVE A CREDENTIAL,HAVE A SIGN INSHEET TO CONFIRMTHAT THEY WERETHERE AND KIND OFGIVE A BIT MOREFORMALITY TO THESTRUCTURE." UNDERTHE LAW POLLWATCHERS WOULDREGISTER WITHTHEIR GROUP,LISTING WHATLOCATIONS THEYPLAN TO VISIT ATWHAT TIME.THEY WILL BE GIVENA NAME TAG TOIDENTIFYTHEMSELVES ANDWILL BE ASKED TOSIGN IN AT THEPRECINT.THE LAW DOESSTATE HOWEVERTHAT "A POLLWATCHER SHALL NOTBE DENIED ENTRY TOA POLLING PLACEBECAUSE THE POLLWATCHER IS NOT ONTHE LIST ORBECAUSE THEPRECINCT IS NOT ONTHE LIST."WE'RE TAKING A LIVELOOK OUTSIDE FROMOUR OMAHAWORLD-HERALD