Earlier this month, on September 10th, Graham Moomaw of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported the Legislative Review of Virginia’s Department of Elections found that the agency had an “environment of open support for one party over the other” under the leadership appointed by Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe. House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, call the appearance of political bias “devastating”. The 75-page report pointed to the perception of political bias was obviously not in favor of the Republicans.
Unfortunately news like this does not come as a surprise, but reinforces our commitment to fight for fair and transparent elections.
This Richmond Times Article is very timely because a few weeks ago I was made aware of some troubling incidents that occurred in Clarke County during this past June Primary.
At 7:30 am a husband and wife came into their polling precinct and overheard one of the poll workers telling a derogatory joke about “two dictators”, referring to the meeting between President Trump and the North Korean leader. No discussions relating to politics are allowed in polling precincts.
A half hour later, their neighbors went to the same polling precinct. After the husband had received a Republican ballot and as he walked out of range the same poll worker said to the wife, “You do not have to vote the same way your husband votes”. A similar incident, at a different polling precinct in Clarke County, happened later that day.
If three (of those reported) infractions like these can happen in a county that votes consistently 60/40 in favor of Republicans then I dread to think what hasn’t been reported and what might happen in some of the more liberal precincts.
The good news is we can do something about it!
By law the local political committees are allowed to have observers (poll watchers) inside the polling precincts from the moment the first ballot is cast to the last ballot is counted. There are a series of rules that have to be observed but every local Republican Committee Chairman has the legal right to place poll watchers inside polling precincts.
This is where we need the grassroots!
The 10th District Republican Congressional Committee, in cooperation with our local Republican Committees, is launching ‘Verify the Vote’.
Our goal is to have 5 poll watchers cover each Precinct for a period of 3 hours each. With 203 polling precincts in the 10th Congressional District this means we will need over 1,000 poll watchers on Election Day! Are you ready to defend our right to a fair election?
Please visit https://vagop10.org/verify-the-vote to sign up … and get your friends and neighbors involved!
We will forward your name and details onto the respective local Republican Committees and they will be in contact with you about scheduling, duties, etc. As we approach Election Day each of the local Republican Committees will have training sessions and other information available so you will have no questions or concerns about volunteering on November 6th.
We need the grassroots help to guarantee there is a fair and transparent election. Help us ‘Verify the Vote’!
Andrew Nicholson
Chairman, 10th Congressional District
Republican Party of Virginia
