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 Post subject: My disturbing experiece at the polls today
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:42 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm
Posts: 8115
Today I went to the polls to vote. To my shock, INSIDE the polling place was a large news camera, taking pictures of voters. I expressed a desire not to be on film, and they refused to honor my request. "Turn your back" "This is CNN International, it won't be shown here anyway" (maybe they're not aware of the internet?) they told me. I complained to election officials, who said the CNN coverage inside polling places had been authorized by the County board of Elections. The man in charge of the polling place was obviously quite angry at me for complaining - to the point of saying he would never come back and work the polls again because I dared to express a desire not to be filmed.

I called the Board of Elections, and they said CNN was "all over the county" today, and the coverage was authorized by the information on the Ohio Secretary of State Website.

I called the Secretary of State's office and they clarified. An Appeals Court decision gives permission for coverage of Elections (it may or may not specify inside polling places - that was never clarified) but each voter's permission may be obtained to film that voter - and no intimidation is permitted.

That is definitely NOT what happened here today - I may have been filmed when I expressly asked not to be (the camera was pointed my direction, and the reporter was talking) - and I felt VERY intimidated - I actually left without voting. (I did go back later in the day and vote)

For decades, voters have fought intimidation at the polls - for instance, when union issues are on the ballot, employers might "encourage" their people not to vote (I'm not even pro-union, but I do think people should have a right to vote without being intimidated). Or people of certain races have been intimidated from voting. What could possibly be more intimdating that voting on camera, knowing the whole world will see you?

What ever happened to privacy at the polls?

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 Post subject: Re: My disturbing experiece at the polls today
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:53 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm
Posts: 8837
Sorry for your experience Anna. :( The media certainly think s they are a privileged lot, don't they? We should have a right to our privacy. I tho't they had to stay 100 feet outside a polling place.

Dd went to a polling place that was so hot, crowded and stinky that she almost had to leave. Her 15yo dd asked a poll worker if there was another line cuz her mom was getting sick and they put her in the handicapped line. Five minutes and she was out.

It was in a church. I can't help but run "separation of church and state" over in my head at that. ;-) But, I wonder why it was so stifling in there?


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 Post subject: Re: My disturbing experiece at the polls today
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:18 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 3:05 pm
Posts: 3524
Location: Central TX
Eek! Sorry you had to go through that!

I had a good voting experience. In and out in 5 minutes. The election officials were so friendly.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).


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