There’s been a lot more focus this election year on poll watchers – particularly after President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “go into the polls and watch very carefully.”
But in Indiana – like other states – poll watchers are a very defined role in state election law.
Marion County Election Board Deputy Director Patrick Becker said Indiana poll watchers must be appointed, typically by state or county political party leaders.
“They have to have a credential issued, you know, by that chair of the party," Becker said. "They have to wear that credential in the polling site at all times.”
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Poll watchers have to be registered voters in the county. And they can’t be candidates.
And Becker said what they’re allowed to do is spelled out in state law.
“They are there merely just to observe," Becker said. "They cannot campaign or do any electioneering in the vote center.”
Poll watchers can inspect machines or ballots before the voting starts. And they can accompany those ballots at the end of the day to the counting site.
Becker said if voters at polling places are confronted by someone who isn’t a credentialed poll watcher, they should report that to poll workers.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
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