Five City Blocks I Call My Own

I've received my poll-watching assignment for election day. It's a barber shop about as far west in West Philly as you can get. I don't know yet how many people are registered there. In 2004, only about 400 people voted. I imagine this time there will be more.

I'm a little disappointed not to be going somewhere I could expect real trouble, like the Northeast or South Philly, which have large numbers of Republicans. The biggest potential problem where I am going is that we'll have too many voters. The horror. Lines could get long if there aren't enough machines or one of them breaks, or if the board of elections has really screwed up and a lot of people have to vote provisional ballots. Given that it's probably a 90% African-American population, I don't think it'll be hard keeping people in line no matter what happens.

There are about 1,670 divisions in 66 wards in Philadelphia. I don't know yet if each division is getting an Obama poll watcher. It seems unlikely, but who knows?

However many we are, later this week, we will pick up our poll watcher's credentials and respective voter lists. I need to arrive at the location on Tuesday at 6:30 a.m., having picked up a Box 'o Joe (the coffee) for the judge of elections and friends from Dunkin Donuts. Polls open at 7 a.m. I'm done when the total numbers come out and are certified sometime around 8:30 p.m. In between, probably after lunch, I need to slip back here and vote at my own polling place.

As people come in to vote, poll watchers will check them off the list electronically, so the field staff have an up-to-the-second picture of where we need to send more people out knocking on doors. We are supposed to call it in if anything illegal happens, and let the Obama counsel for Philadelphia work it out with the board of elections, or failing that, the courts. If the line gets too long, or the poll workers run low on paper provisional/emergency ballots, we can call to get help. Ideally, if turnout is going to be very heavy, I would love to have someone working outside to keep people comfortable, with folding chairs, water and snacks, an umbrella or two, rain ponchos if needed, Obama buttons, and a polling place list to help people from other divisions who don't know where to go.

Oh, and I'm also bringing a bottle of champagne.

Comments

[Tiny Tyrant]

something really needs to be done about the state of the voting process and infrastructure.

lining up for any time over 15 minutes is unacceptable. as is a lack consistency of voting method across the country, especially when it seems the equal division of loyalties leads to a single State affecting the ultimate result.

for a Nation that supposedly sees itself fit to impose democracy on others, the situation is outrageous.

[Tiny Tyrant]

oh, and good on ya for your efforts.

[Tiny Tyrant]

oh, and good on ya for your efforts.

[anna]

where ya going to watch post election results?

i think im going to Pure....was fun last time.

[Just An Australian]

Is there going to be impartial international observers to assure fairness, as is normal in countries with substandard voting procedures and a history of bitterly contested elections?

[Mithras]

TT-
All political corruption is local. No way do we get standardized voting methods.

anna-
I don't know yet. The campaign is having a party, obviously, but the location has not been announced.

JAA-
Nope!

[Glomarization]

I've been assigned to a church in an area where they tell the university students not to rent apartments. But it looks as though the number 15 trolley gets within a block of the polling place, and it runs pretty frequently even after 8:00 p.m.

[Mithras]

You should get them to give you a ride there. They will.

[Glomarization]

I didn't know that. I'll find out how to arrange that, then. I guess the only reason why I'd prefer not to take transit there in the morning is that the trip would probably be 45 minutes to an hour.

As for evening, I don't think I'm much of a target, and I've been known to walk home from 3rd and Brown at 2:00 a.m. -- but that's been deeper in the winter, when there are fewer knuckleheads out and about.

[Mithras]

There is a whole transportation network thing happening with the GOTV people. I don't know if the Voter Protection program will get you the ride or if you have to talk to someone running the staging area near the polling place. I imagine they could get you a ride from Sansom St. to there no problem.

I agree about coming home.