POLS ON THE STREET: Do Poll-Watchers Matter?

by Joe Shaheeli

KNOWING where to go and whom to see, US Senate candidate Katie McGinty was welcomed to a meeting of N.E. Democratic ward leaders by Democratic City Committee Chairman Congressman Bob Brady.

We yawn every time we see Democrats knee-jerking to Republican efforts to allow poll watchers to serve outside of their home counties. Such a bill is now wending its way through the General Assembly.

To minority parties, it makes sense. To majority parties, they see it as another scary character at Halloween time, worried about its effect on voters, opening the doors to voter intimidation.

The truth is the Republican Party in this state worries there could be cheating at polls in this city, where Democrats are in total control of most of the election boards in the over 1,860 election districts or divisions in this town. The GOP presence in many polls is absent. The Minority Inspector and Minority Inspector Clerk, which insures a minority presence on the board, is often staffed with Democrats, since there are no Republicans to man them. Republican ward leaders in many areas of the City field wards with few Republican registrations. So their Democratic counterparts are willing to help them fill the vacancies; after all, they are paying jobs for those in need.

Raising Democratic opposition is HB 29. If passes, Gov. Tom Wolf will veto it. Prime sponsor, State Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny) insists his bill is misunderstood. He says the change would make easier to fill the volunteer positions if residents of one county could help in another county. Counties would still have to certify the poll watchers, he said.

IN DEELEY’S corner at her 50th-birthday celebration at BOP restaurant in Center City were numerous ward leaders: L-R, Pat Parkinson, Deeley, Rosanne Pauciello, Bobby Henon and Dan Muroff. Photo by Wendell Douglas

“You can’t be a roaming band of poll watchers, coming in disrupting things,” he said. “They can’t disrupt anything. Poll watchers are only there to observe and report. They’re there to make sure things are running properly.”

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.) doesn’t believe it. He said the bill is designed to cause disruption at polling places across Pennsylvania, but particularly in places with high numbers of African American and Latino voters.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has encouraged supporters in Pennsylvania to watch for fraud on Election Day.

In Pennsylvania, political parties and candidates can designate poll watchers, who must then be credentialed by the county in which they are registered to vote. Poll watchers can issue challenges, based on a voter’s identity or residency, which they are supposed to address to the judge of elections.

State Rep. Brian Sims (D-S. Phila.) said he believes the bill is aimed at this city. “Because Republicans are not able to put enough Republicans in polls in Philadelphia, they want the state’s permission to bring them in from elsewhere,” he said.

The governor believes the bill would lead to voter intimidation, said his spokesman, Jeffrey Sheridan, who added that existing law already ensures the integrity of elections. He just doesn’t understand the timber of Philly voters. On Election Day, it is they who create an aura that tells the election board, watchers, candidates, and any other observers, “Don’t mess with me!”

STATE REP. John Taylor, L, and Councilman Mark Squilla attended the inaugural Pink Elephant Run at Cione Playground Organized by Reenie Dugan, Kathy Taylor and many others, this event brought awareness to the epidemic of opioid addiction. Over 400 people participated.

But you can bet fraud does rear its head in divisions controlled by judges of election and other members with or without outside watchers, no matter from where they come. If the leadership of that election board is hell-bent on getting additional votes for candidates they favor, there is little to stop them.

For instance, if a watcher needs to go to the bathroom, 10 to 20 or more votes can be registered on a voting machine within several minutes before the watcher’s return. Later, under the eyes of the watcher, the board can begin to forge the signatures of those the board knows will not be coming out to vote, but are registered. They usually are members or close friends of board members and already are aware of the “program.”

Few are the sophisticated watchers who know and understand the inner workings of that particular election board.

There are other ways to manipulate voter turnout illegally, but that would require this writer to use up more space than for which this column is entitled.

Also, as we have indicated in the past, it is impossible to stop illegals from registering to vote. There is just no way. Some get caught up by engaging in other efforts to gain validity, but those are few in number.

Registrations have been pouring in to the Registration Commission. Its director, Gregory Irving, reports a near-record flood of late registrations, both via paper and electronically and thereby “a heavy turnout for this election cycle.”

Katie McGinty Is From Philly!

GOP EVENTS COORDINATOR Bill Pettigrew hosted a Trump-Clinton debate watch at the Quaker City Yacht Club, and reported his group was all smiles after it ended. L-R: Bob Boyle, owner of Worlds Gym; Committeeman Rob Stickel; former City Commissioner candidate Marie Delany; QCYC member and political guru Brian Preski; State Senate candidate Ross Feinberg; Ward Leader Andy Gentsch; QCYC bartender Jen Cullen; Trump’s biggest fan, Grace Muller; and QCYC member Pettigrew.

When he is queried by voters as he canvasses his district as why they should vote for US Senatorial candidate Katie McGinty, State Sen. John Sabatina, Jr. (D-Northeast) tells them, “She’s from Philly.” That’s the reason he told Northeast Democratic ward leaders who had invited him and other state legislators to a special meeting at McCullough Hall in Wissinoming.

Early on, in some of her television commercials, she gave that indication, which often escaped the viewer’s attention. They saw her and family and school friends, but unless familiar with that part of Northeast Philly from which she hails, it went over their heads.

Looking pert and skinny as Sinatra in a fitted white pants suit, Katie met with the Northeast ward leaders to assure them their support was badly needed and the fact every vote they could get would make the difference between success or failure in her effort to unseat US Sen. Pat Toomey, “so close is this race.”

DA Race Struggles for Media Space
If elected as District Attorney, Joe Kahn says he will bring a different view on integrity and ethics to the DA’s office. He discussed this in an interview with NBC 10. He says it is time for a fresh start.

But unless he can do more than that to attract attention, he’ll find he is still facing a formidable opponent in incumbent DA Seth Williams.

Sen. Hughes Wants to Remove W. York Mayor

FIRING up youthful voters at University of the Arts, Bernie Sanders gave his former rival Hillary Clinton a shot in the arm. Photo by Bill Myers

State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes (D-W. Phila.) has asked State Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate, to appoint a special committee to investigate the potential removal of Charles Wasko, mayor of West York Borough, pursuant to Article VI, Section 7 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Wasko has received international attention for repeatedly posting threatening, racist, misogynistic and religiously offensive images on social media. Some of the posts even appear to threaten the life of the President of the United States and denigrate the First Family.

“This is simply unacceptable,” said Hughes. “Federal law makes it a crime to threaten the life of the president of the United States. I do not take the removal of an elected official lightly, but clearly Wasko is unfit to hold office and this very serious step must be taken.”

Wasko has repeatedly posted content that compares African Americans to orangutans and gorillas. He has also posted photos that attack Muslim Americans and even suggested President Barack Obama should be lynched. Numerous organizations have called for him to resign, including the West York Borough Council and Pennsylvania NAACP.

COUNCILMAN Kenyatta Johnson honored Prince Hall Masons for promoting gun safety at a City Hall ceremony. In this picture are Past Grand Master Lorenzo Cruger; Sheriff Jewell Williams and Most Worshipful Grand Master Joseph Jefferson.

“We know from Wasko’s social-media posts that he holds contemptable attitudes towards many of his own constituents,” said Hughes. “His removal is something that ought to be supported by all good thinking people in West York and across Pennsylvania.”

The Pennsylvania Constitution provides a vehicle for the Pennsylvania Senate to remove Wasko from office. That action would require a full investigation and an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Pennsylvania Senate.

“I do not believe Wasko can perform his duties as mayor,” said Hughes. “His behavior is unacceptable, especially since public officials must be held to a higher standard. It’s time for the Pennsylvania Senate to take action and consider taking the step of removing him from office.”

Another Element in Martina’s Race?

PROGRESSIVE groups Drinking Liberally, Philly for Change and For Penna.’s Future, and other Phila. progressives gathered at 2nd Story Brewing Co. in Old City to watch the first presidential debate. L-R: Fernando Treviño, FPP’s constituency-outreach director; David Chatfield, Drinking Liberally host; Omar Tewfik, FPP’s deputy communications director; Sam Durso, PfC co-chair; Serigne Fall, FPP field organizer; and Colleen Kennedy, FPP press assistant.

When Martina White was selected to run in a special election last year, she needed to convince Democrats to vote for her as well as Republicans, since she faced a district that had a Democratic registration majority of 2 to 1.

She won that race with a margin of 14 points to become the youngest woman serving in the General Assembly and the first newly elected Republican to the House from Philadelphia in 25 years.

Worrying her now in her efforts to stave off Matt Darragh in the 170th Dist. is the fact her anti-Sanctuary legislation has brought in a new element against her.

She charges “the Democrats are mounting a shadow campaign against me. I’ve been smeared in the media for opposing the mayor’s dangerous Sanctuary City policy. Outside money is flowing into my district and others around the city.”

On the other side of that coin, she received an anonymous donor challenge: For every dollar raised up to $10,000, she’d get matching dollars.

   Send article as PDF