On September 20th there was a special election in the 12th Bristol District. I wrote a post titled “Another special election, another opportunity to intimidate voters.” about the voter intimidation group “Show ID to Vote” video taping polling activity in New Bedford. As I mention in my previous post, the Department of Justice found that video taping polling places serves no purpose and can be used as a voter intimidation tactic.
Show ID to Vote posted their video tonight.
They use a variety of cameras to record polling activity. As they change from scene to scene, they mention camera techniques. At the end of the video they have a “Random Still Photos” section, and this picture really caught my attention:
That’s former Congressional candidate Tom Weaver (not Wesley, my mistake) and Tea Party activist Ralph Zazula who lead Show ID to Vote. They’re sitting at a table with a sign that says “SHOW I.D. TO VOTE” with “RULES” written underneath. All you can make out in this picture is “Have Valid government issued ID” – here’s the caption from their Facebook page, emphasis mine:
Tom Weaver & Ralph Zazula of Show ID to Vote while video-recording a Day at the Polls in New Bedford on September 20th, 2011. The table was setup inside the polling place to answer any questions that voters may have about the photography and video recording of the voting process. Not one single complaint was raised by officials, campaigns or voters!
The poster is displayed in other pictures on their Facebook page, and the bullet points read as follows:
- Have valid government issued ID.
- Be polite.
- Ask poll workers to verify address.
- Voluntary compliance.
They look pretty official – “SHOW ID TO VOTE” written so huge at the top of a professionally printed poster with two well-dressed men sitting behind a table at a polling place. A quick glance at the emphasized words would tell someone that ID is required to vote. “Voluntary Compliance” is written small enough at the bottom that you’d have to be relatively close to read it.
So not only was Show ID to Vote practicing voter intimidation by video taping a polling place, they were also attempting to cause confusion with their table and sign that read “SHOW ID TO VOTE”… If even one voter didn’t vote because they saw this sign and didn’t have an ID with them, shame on Show ID to Vote. Actually, shame on Show ID to Vote regardless. Their campaign once again has proven itself to be more about perpetrating voter intimidation than finding voter fraud.
Discuss
20 Comments . Comments are closed.Training Session!
Interested in suppressing the vote in an upcoming municipal election? Contact them!
Where are the Town Clerks on this?
Even if SecofCom Galvin won’t move on this, surely the Town and City Clerks have an organization through which they communicate. Find them. Convince them to show others. Get the crack down going at the city and town level if Galvin won’t move on it.
This is downright nutty that they’re allowed to set up camp there.
They both have orgs
The Mass. Town Clerks’ Association (MTCA) and the Mass. City Clerks’ Association (MCCA).
They don’t appear to have a main website or main office, but I believe the current presidents of these orgs are: MCCA – Rosario (Russ) Malone, Waltham City Clerk and MTCA – Theodora Eaton, Needham Town Clerk.
At the very least maybe they can clarify the rules in this area, if not take a position on the legality of such a booth.
Spoke to my town clerk today...
Had a meeting with my town clerk today regarding something else, and mentioned this issue at the end of our meeting. As a non-partisan ballot question not on the ballot being voted on, this is apparently legit.
Regardless, it’s voter intimidation.
So it's at the discretion of the Town Clerk's office....
on whether or not a table can be set up in polling locations?
Chris, a correction...
That’s not Tom Wesley in that pic – I worked for Richard Neal last fall, I met Tom a few times during the campaign. Your blockquote identifies him as Tom Weaver, you may want to update your diary.
As to the substance, yes, this is disgusting. Time to form “You don’t need ID to vote” and fight fire with fire?
Their Facebook posting of the picture identifies them
“Tom Weaver & Ralph Zazula of Show ID to Vote while video-recording a Day at the Polls in New Bedford on September 20th, 2011.”
Thanks!
There’s a downside to me doing my best work after midnight! Fixed it.
Turn and turnabout
Perhaps a trick that used to work against the LaRouche-ites will work here: have a very visible volunteer stand with a very visible camera, taking videos and stills of every encounter with every voter.
Perhaps it’s time to start posting home addresses of folks like Mr. Wesley, Mr. Zazula, and each person who participates in intimidating potential voters like this. Perhaps non-violent gatherings of intimidated potential voters in the neighborhoods of these bullies might discourage antics like this.
The tactics of legal intimidation can certainly work both ways.
Correction (after change to thread starter)
It’s time to start posting home addresses of folks like Mr. Weaver.
How is setting up a table in a polling place legal?
Chris do you know?
The website contains a list of . But nothing stands out. I did sent a message to Galvin’s office.
There is a clear violation of state law here.
Around 2:34 minutes into the video, you can hear the conversation between the voter and the election official. Yes, in this version it’s muddled, but with simple editing software (some of which is freeware) you can enhance the audio and get a vastly improved version.
It is against MA state law to record audio conversations, unless BOTH PARTIES AGREE to be recorded. In this case, it appears neither party was aware.
It's not a partisan issue
It’s not related to the current election.
LWV, Cub scout bake sale, etc., set up tables all the time.
Since the table is not the prohibited ‘electioneering’, it is not illegal.
(Could not make reply button work on Chris’s question)
Hilarious.
A cub scout selling cookies is the same degree of threat to democracy as a table with guys in suits and a giant sign saying “Show ID to vote. Rules: Have valid government-issued ID,” even though none of that is actually required by state law, along with video cameras.
Only in the GOP.
The porcupine is stirring.
The election season is upon us.
voter suppression is legal ....
because they can sell cookie in voting places. Who knew.
I Don't Get It
To me, this is clearly a violation of state law (MGL Chapter 56; Section 29) which prohibits unlawful interference with voting. (“Whoever wilfully and without lawful authority hinders, delays or interferes with, or aids in hindering, delaying or interfering with, a voter while on his way to a primary, caucus or election, while within the guard rail, while marking his ballot or while voting or attempting to vote, or endeavors to induce a voter, before depositing his ballot, to disclose how he marks or has marked it, shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year.”)
I just don’t understand how Secretary Galvin doesn’t see it this way. Has he ever specifically commented on the “Show Your Id” nonsense?
The porcupine is stirring.
The porcupine is not only stirring, the porcupine is correct about the tables, per Chris.
David – I LIKE IE. I’ve used FireFox, and recently had a computer profossional remove the kudzu-like Chrome from my machine. Both screw with my other applications. I’m sorry if IE isn’t in the cool kids club for your new platform, but the platform itself is buggy enough to not persuade to change browsers.
It has little to do
with our platform. It’s a simple fact: both Firefox and Chrome are vastly superior products to IE. But, if you want to keep torturing yourself, be my guest. Just don’t complain when things don’t work (and I’m talking everywhere, not just here) – 99% of the time, it’s because you’re using a lousy browser.
You left out the most important part of my comment...
Just because it’s legal, just like the videotaping, doesn’t mean it isn’t voter intimidation.
Trackbacks
3 pings so far. Trackbacks are closed.« Blue Mass Group Front Page
Wed 23 May 3:49 AM