Chapter Ten

What Is A Challenge?

If you see something wrong, challenge it.

If you see something questionable, challenge it.

Do not challenge a voter. The challenge always goes to the election judge.

Your explanation for the challenge is always to the election judge.

You can answer a voter’s question about the challenge. Keep your voice even and non-accusatory. Show no disrespect to the voter or to the election judge.

If the election judge corrects the problem, say “Thank you”, sit down and write it up.

If the election judge rules against you (and it is a problem that does not need three judges to decide) say, “Thank you”, sit down and write it up.

If you think it is important enough, ask for three judges (not all from the same party) for a decision. When they tell you their decision say, “Thank you”, sit down and write it up.p>

Win or lose, you accept the decision of the election judges. Do not argue.

Win or lose, write it up.

All challenges are written up. If it is important enough to be challenged, it is important enough to be written.

What To Write In A Report

Write it as if it could be read out in court. It just might be. Keep it even-toned. No swear words. Nothing snotty, sassy, or sarcastic.

Include:
• Time
• Date
• Location: Precinct, or location of another site.
• Election judge’s name

You need not fill out a form, you can text the information if your pollwatcher team provides you a number to for texting. Texting has the advantage of including the time and date, automatically.

A challenge that you may consider minor, may be considered major if it is repeated enough times. The poll watcher who comes after you may need to know how you handled the challenge the result.

As far as challenges are concerned: if it is not written down, it did not happen.

The Most Common Challenges

1. Voter ID
   1. Asking For Identification to Vote
   2. Problems Locating a Voter in the Voter Rolls
2. Registering To Vote At The Polls
3. A Voter Who Has Moved
4. Attempting To Vote At The Wrong Polling Place
   1. The Polling Place Information Telephone Number
   2. Giving Additional Information
   3. How A Poll Watcher Can Assist
   4. Attempting to Vote at the Wrong Non–Precinct Polling Place
   5. Deciding To Vote A Provisional Ballot
5. Surrendering a Vote by Mail Ballot In Order to Vote In Person
   1. How Surrendered Vote by Mail Ballots Are Handled
   2. Locating the Surrendered Vote by Mail Ballot
   3. Cancelling the Surrendered Vote by Mail Ballot
6. Problems in the Voting Booth Area
   1. Voters With Ballots Waiting To Vote
   2. Voting
   3. Multiple People In A Voting Booth
   4. Spoiled Ballots
   5. Returning the Ballot
   6. Under Voting
   7. Ballot Not Accepted
   8. Leaving the Polling Place With a Ballot
   9. Voting A False Ballot
   10. Too Many Ballots or Too Few Ballots
   11. New Voter Prohibited From Entering Voter Booth
   12. Returning to the Voting Booth
7. Voting A Provisional Ballot
   1. Vote a Provisional Ballot As A Last Resort
   2. What the Poll Watcher Is Looking For
   3. An Annotated List of Reasons for a Provisional Ballot And Their Cure