Reply #51: Most states say the counting has to be open to the public but limit...

[read the law first]

the actual participants for the candidates in a recount to one or two per candidate (unless you get into a massive number of hand counts like Florida).

It's usually a little tough to read but almost all states say the voting has to be open to the public. In some places this means open where you can actually talk to the election officials doing the counting and sometimes open means behind glass windows. This even differs within states sometimes.

It also depends GREATLY whether the observers are respectful and quiet or a circus (notable exception in Palm Beach (?) where the puke rioters cowed the local election board). Usually in my experience standing quietly by, melting into the wallpaper and smiling a lot without saying anything gets you the closest to the action. We never forget that almost every state gives the election officials the plenary power to remove people being disruptive.

So, I guess in application, there's observers who don't need credentials (meaning the public) and official observers who do need credentials(who are participants).