Trust me, ALL of the GQP Poll-watchers will be Armed, Armored, and openly carrying. In most cases they WILL be the local Sheriffs and Police, IN UNIFORM, even while “off duty”, there to intimidate anyone they don’t want voting.
They will ONLY harass Minority Voters, intimidating them, and demanding to see their “Citizenship Papers Please” before they let them enter the polling place (which will have a HUGE line for hours and hours of waiting to vote.)
It IS JIM CROW with a vengeance.
There will be NO “poll watchers” at all in heavily White, Republican polling places, just in the Minority Polling places (which will be greatly curtailed, and placed in the most inconvenient, and smallest places possible.)
It is APARTHEID, plain and simple, and the SCOTUS will allow it because the Constitution gives total control of elections to the States.
Way back in 1788, when it took MONTHS to travel to Philadelphia, PA to cast the electoral ballots (Washington DC did not yet exist) this made perfect sense. Now, it doesn’t.
What could possibly go wrong?
What about the right to privacy? What are the laws covering photos and videos of private citizens performing an official function? One that normally requires no scrutiny of their selections.
I am wondering about law suits flying about. I am wondering if the Republican bozos are smart enough to avoid entanglements. I am wondering if, being this is Texas, the observers can mentally handle the number of times the bird will be flung at them? I am just wondering.
This brings to mind the insurrectionists who were rifling the Senators desks and the high-larious conversation they had while looking at the papers on Cruz’s desk. Their reading comprehension skills were, let’s say, not high.
They should not be allowed to look over voters’ shoulders and this seems to be letting that happen.
What happened to the sanctity of the secret ballot?
Nor did their background knowledge. They weren’t aware Cruz was on their side.
Can poll watchers in Texas use bullhorns, operate chainsaws and test fire their sidearm inside of polling places?
Would seem to be a restriction of their sense of “freedom” if they can’t.
Well…they thought he was a traitor to them, because they first read the documents as against the Steal the Vote crap.
The Constitution does not give total control to the states:
Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members,
In a way they were heartbreakingly naive, thinking there’d be “something we can use against them” in every third paper they looked at or whatever. Maybe a graph of the satisfaction rate among client pedophiles in delivery, product as described, packaging, etc. etc. Truly was a fascinating and absurd moment in the whole debacle.
Who watches the watchers?
Federal election laws can override State laws:
Constitution, Article I, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators
Thus the Voting Rights Act, which of course the SCOTUS eviscerated.
States have almost unlimited powers on HOW to conduct Elections, Local, State, and Federal, as long as they don’t violate the Constitution. The Roberts Court has stated they DON’T CARE how they do it.
Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations , except as to the Places of chusing Senators
The House JUDGES the Electoral College Votes.
The States control HOW THE VOTING IS DONE by the citizens and the State Legislatures have control over HOW, WHEN, and WHERE of the voting.
Until the 17th Amendment was passed, it was up to either the State Legislature, or in some cases the State Governor to select the 2 Senators from each state.
That is because of the 17th Amendment which controls Senatorial voting.
the poll watchers now run it and can do whatever they want
Antifa is grateful. Thank you, Texas!
Article 1 is part of the original Constitution prior to it being amended
Going to be a number of “voter pulls gun on weirdo watching them vote” stories coming out of TX the next election.
This will backfire, of course, but this three of clubs is all the GOP has. The resentment over this will build.
I remember conversations I had with POC in the early 2000s and there was little or no angst about voting.
There is now angst about Voting.
Well done, GOP.