Protecting votes at the polls?

[dogpatch]

I happened to be working in Pittsburgh, PA earlier this year on day of the Democratic primary, and accompanied a friend (a Muslim who wears hijab) to her polling place. She was turned away by two VERY nasty men who were at the table, both wearing badges identifying them as "opposition observers." The sneered at her and told her she wasn't registered. She argued just a little and then, like most polite people, shrugged her shoulders and started to leave.

So I stepped up to the table say they needed to give her a provisional ballot, and they sneered at me, "She don't get one!"

At that point I pulled out my reporter's notebook and started very ostentatiously making calls, trying to verify that indeed my friend was supposed to get the provisional ballot but also acting like a huffy-puff who was going to bust these people. When she saw me with the notebook and phone (and I'm white), the woman in charge of the polling place came scuttling over fast as can be, "Oh no, no, tut tut, we don't want to break the law here, of course we are supposed give her a provisional ballot."

So my friend then got to fill out the provisional ballot (which I'm sure went straight to the trash) while the two "opposition" guys went outside to smoke, spit, scratch their fat asses, and stare daggers at me and my friend through the window. As we were leaving, they came back in and I saw the whole routine start over again with an African American man who stepped up to the table and was told, "You're not registered."

So if that is what I saw in 10 minutes on primary day, imagine the shit that's going to do down in November.

All to say --- Does anybody know how a person from a "safe" state (CA) can go about volunteering to be a poll watcher in a state where voters are at risk due to tricks and good old fashioned thuggery, and what the most crucial places are? Is it done through the Obama campaign or the local party offices?

[enough]

1. The Obama campaign has a Voter Protection effort underway, and you can sign up to volunteer.

The link is in this DU thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7054596

Go to that thread, recommend it, and go sign up at the Obama voter protection site.

[dogpatch]

2. excellent

Thanks, I knew DU would have the answer!