Campaign Day Three

[previous post in series here]

Lots of talk today; not much action.

Returned to the Cape Coral early voting location, where yesterday’s whisper of fraud originated. First problem: the Republican poll observer was AWOL. (So was the Democrat observer, I note). Our observer arrived 2 hours late. That’s a problem—because while I can stand around a look officious, I’m not qualified actually to challenge a voter. Under Florida law, only a resident of the same county as the voter (called an “elector”) may challenge. Florida Election Code, Section 101.111. So I observed without "observing," and passed on challenging a voter in a heavy German accent. Despite the BILD endorsement, I doubt many Germans in Florida are citizens, much less Bush voters.

After Cape Coral was staffed, I drove 45 minutes south to the Bonita Springs poll station. This office was staffed (including a damn Democrat). Everything seemed fine, until I drove back to Cape Coral, whereupon the Bonita Springs Republican watcher called back. Seems he suddenly was suspicious of the woman who relieved his station—who didn’t have the RNC poll observer packet—and didn’t even know what “RNC” stood for. I’ve got calls in trying to confirm.

Another small problem—when I arrived, there was a wheelchair-bound Vietnam Vet distributing Kerry literature. He was far closer than 50 feet from the entrance. But the “50 foot rule” applies only to “polling places,” which do not include early voting locations, according to the Florida Election Board opinion letter. Plainly, I wasn’t going to challenge a handicapped Vietnam Vet. But at least I raised the issue with the local supervisor, so that our leaflet-er could be co-located. If the Republicans even had such a person today.

Split the afternoon between Cape Coral and the downtown Ft. Myers office. The rumored fraud hasn’t appeared. Nor any more Germans for Kerry.

[Series continues here]