What it's like to be intimidated at the polls

During the April 26th primary in Pennsylvania, I helped a democratic candidate (Dave Mattei) run a write-in campaign to represent the 137th district. The 137th is currently represented by Joe Emrick, a Republican who regularly votes against women’s rights. While I was standing in line to vote, shouting broke out behind me. I turned and saw Emrick talking to the judge of elections. He had come into the polling place and instructed the judge to keep an eye on me, warning her I might do something illegal. He’d said my name loud enough that several of my neighbors heard him, including my husband who never hesitates to stand up to bullies—hence the shouting.

Joe skedaddled, and I turned to one of the poll workers. “That was Joe Emrick,” I told her. “He’s an elected official, he’s on the ballot, and I know he doesn’t vote here so what was he doing in this room?”

Her only response was a blank stare and a mumbled, “I don’t know.”

I went in to the booth, cast my ballot, then repeated my complaint to the judge of elections on the way out. All I got was another “I don’t know”. I walked outside, fuming, and that’s when it hit me—I’d forgotten to write in Dave’s name, something I’d been encouraging other people to do for days.

An elected official came into my polling place to intimidate me and he’d succeeded. Worse, two different poll workers responded only with shrugs of indifference. It took three phone calls and a letter to get any response from the Election Board. According to one official, Emrick received nothing more than a scolding for his behavior. (One bright spot, Emrick’s shenanigans failed. Dave Mattei will be on the ballot on Nov. 8th).