Philadelphia Poll Watcher Denied Access to Polling Place, Despite Documentation
Poll watchers undeniably play a critical role in our election process.
Although their exact roles differ from state to state, poll watchers generally observe most aspects of voting in a polling place. Actions can range from identifying faulty voting machines to ensuring voters can exercise their civic duty without being harassed.
According to Philadelphia Magazine, poll watchers in the Keystone State can even intervene and directly alert the judge of elections if they suspect something is amiss.
With Election Day now here, poll watchers should be in the full swing of their duties.
Unfortunately, for one apparent poll watcher in Philadelphia, overzealous volunteers seemingly kept him from observing the elections in one of the most important states of the 2020 elections.
“You’re not letting me in?” the unidentified poll watcher asked in a video shared by Human Events editor in chief Will Chamberlain.
“No,” one polling place volunteer said while blocking the door. “Call the police, do it. If you’re legal, call the cops.”
After informing the volunteers that he had a citywide permit to observe the election process, the watcher was simply told it was not for that location.
Watch the video below.
[firefly_poll]
A poll watcher in Philly was just wrongfully prevented from entering the polling place#StopTheSteal pic.twitter.com/iJTFtRk0Id
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) November 3, 2020
To make matters worse, it appears the poll watcher was fully qualified to observe voting at this location.
The poll watcher’s documentation, issued by the Philadelphia County Board of Elections, explicitly states that the certificate “authorizes the individual to watch in any ward/division in Philadelphia.”
Here’s the poll watcher’s certificate
It makes clear that it allows the holder to watch at any polling place in the city pic.twitter.com/0lRgIFekKg
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) November 3, 2020
The issue doesn’t appear to be restricted to the polling place seen in the video.
According to the Philadelphia Republican Party, the shameless rejection of poll watchers was happening in several locations across the city.
“Certified Republican poll watchers are being kicked out of Mitchum Wilson Funeral Home, Wharton Rec Center, AND Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church,” the Philadelphia GOP wrote on Twitter. “Watchers are told their certification doesn’t mean anything.”
Certified Republican poll watchers are being kicked out of Mitchum Wilson Funeral Home, Wharton Rec Center, AND Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Watchers are told their certification doesn’t mean anything. @CouncilmemberKJ , what’s going on in your district?
— Philly GOP (@PhillyGOP) November 3, 2020
President Donald Trump previously warned about the need for poll watchers in Philadelphia.
Philadelpiha MUST HAVE POLLWATCHERS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2020
With how tightly contested the 2020 election is, it’s likely that Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes could decide who sits in the Oval Office for the next four years.
And considering how close the race is in the state, the election may come down to polling places in the city of Philadelphia — perhaps the same ones that are now rejecting poll watchers.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
