Inconsistency and Intimidation

My voting experience today was not good to say the least.

I will begin by saying that the polling place stated on my voter’s registration card had been moved to another location. I had not received notice of such, but luckily, I had passed the new location on my way there, and put 2+2 together to realize it was the place where I should try next. Once I arrived at the new location, parking was a mess, but I was lucky enough to find somebody leaving, so I secured a real parking place. When I entered the building, there was a desk and a very long line — the length of the entire gym. There was no signage instructing you where to go or what to do. I walked to the end of the long line, and some of the people waiting told me that I needed to go back up front and sign in.

So, I walked back up front. The gym was poorly lit. There were small hand-written signs taped to the table with A-D, E-L, and so on, but none of us newcomers could see the signs because people in the front of the line were standing in front of them. Needless to say, there was a lot of confusion, with people asking which line they were supposed to be in.

After about 15 minutes in that line, I signed in and got my slip to take to the polling worker when it was my turn to vote. As I again walked the length of the gym to the back of the long line, I turned on my cell phone and videotaped myself walking the length of the line.

I should interject here that earlier I had seen a tweet by a WKRN producer on Twitter:

nitweet Send video from your cell phone of lines at the polls today to pix@wkrn.com and we may use it on the air – add your name and location.

As I got to the end of the line, a couple of people were laughing and one said, “I’ll bet you are going to send that video to channel 4, aren’t you?” I laughed and said, “Actually, channel 2. Why, is channel 4 asking for video of the voting lines, too?” They said, “Yeah.” and laughed again about it.

As we were waiting, we were talking about how we should call the media and the election commission about the poor conditions of this polling place.

See, there were 4 standard voting machines, and 1 lowered machine for the handicapped. There was ONE POLLING WORKER to reset the machine for each voter.

I decided to take another shot of the long line, stepped out, held up my phone and did so.

Suddenly, two men came up to me, one man had on a “crossing guard” vest over a Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department shirt. He proceeded to raise his voice at me and tell me that it was against the law for me to have a cell phone in the building, and I had no right to take any pictures. I said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see any signs stating that I couldn’t, and I wanted to get some pictures of the long voting line.” That wasn’t good enough, and he moved toward me, reached his hand to me, and said that he wanted me to give him my cell phone right then. I told him that I would most certainly NOT be giving him my cell phone, and that he didn’t have to speak to me in that tone. The person in the line behind me spoke up and said, “Is there a sign somewhere that says you can’t have cell phones?” He argued back with her, and said he wanted my phone to make sure I deleted my pictures. I told him that I would take care of my own cell phone, and that was the end of the conversation. I sent a message via Twitter that I had been yelled at and asked if anybody knew if there was a law against cell phones in the polling place. I put my phone away.

We saw one of the poll workers go post a sign up on the wall, but I was unable to see what it said.

After waiting another 45 minutes in the line, we were about 5 people back from being at the front. We were all in good spirits and having a good time chatting. Unbelievably, the man in the crossing guard vest came back in with a La Vergne police officer and started in on me again about my having my cell phone, and wanted me to give it to him.

At that point, I’d had enough. I said, “Sir, you have already very rudely informed me that you didn’t like that I had taken a picture. I put my phone away. That was almost an hour ago.” The lady beside me spoke up and said, “She hasn’t done anything wrong!” He said that he was going to report me. I said, “Sir, you have crossed the line with me into harassment. I don’t know what right you think you have to berate me over and over again about an innocent mistake.” He said, “Fine, you want my supervisor’s name? I’ll give it to you.” I said, “Yes, I want it.” He said, “I’ll give it to you when you step outside.” I said, “Absolutely not! I am going to tell you right now in front of this police officer that you are harassing me. I don’t want you near me, I do not want you to speak to me. Now, this conversation is over. Go away!” The police officer told the crossing guard to leave and he told me not to worry and that he would be outside when I was finished.

The lady beside me asked if I would like her phone number in case I needed a witness. We exchanged information, and then I voted.

When I went outside to leave, the police officer was there with one of the Aldermen from the City. I asked if the man had left, and he said he had, but that I needed to wait.

I asked if I was going to be arrested, and he said no. The Alderman had the Rutherford County Election Commissioner on her cell phone and he wanted to speak with me. Flabbergasted, I said, “Everybody, I put my phone away an HOUR ago…why am I being berated over and over for this?!? Fine, I’ll speak to him.”

He was quite friendly and explained that I shouldn’t have had a cell phone in the polling place, and that only the media can have cameras, but not regular citizens. I told him that I had gathered that from all of the commotion, but thanks for letting me know.

**Note that nobody at any time asked me if I had media credentials.**

I reiterated that there were no signs visible stating anything to this effect anywhere on the property. We said our niceties and ended the call.

When I finally went to leave, the police officer told me that in almost 20 years of his working polling places, he never knew that you couldn’t have cell phones or take pictures or video in a polling place, and he was very sorry that I had to endure so much embarrassment.

I immediately contacted a news producer at WKRN to let him know about the situation. I was puzzled that the local media was asking for video of the polling lines if it was against the law. He was completely taken aback at what had happened to me. He said he was going to do some digging to find out and would get back to me.

He contacted the Administrator of Elections for Rutherford County, who told him that he never told me it was “illegal” to take photos. He said he couldn’t verify if law enforcement had told me that, but that he was told by the State to discourage it. When pushed on the point that “discouraging” means it’s perfectly legal, he said no, it’s a rule. When asked for a citing in the Tennessee Code Annotated, he said “Well, it’s my rule.” When asked where the rules were written down, he said they weren’t, and then cited “voter disturbance” as a reason to stop me.

Fine. If it disturbed others that I had my phone and took a shot of the long voting line, I was happy to put it away and apologize. However, the true “voter disturbance” was that a man in a “crossing guard” vest berated me repeatedly for having my phone, and erroneously claimed that I was breaking the law! Not only was he blatantly overstepping his authority in that, but he was intimidating me, a voter, by claiming I was acting illegally, when the 100% absolute fact is that I was not! I broke no law, but was told I did as I was about to vote.

What is utterly amazing is that during early voting, Christian Grantham took his cell phone into the polling place and videotaped himself voting right in the Rutherford County Election Commission offices and did not flash any credentials to do it in full view of the officials!

A couple of other random thoughts: There must be some procedural reforms in our election system in this country. Better training of poll workers, MORE poll workers, better signage, clearer instructions, etc.

I don’t know why anybody would be so upset about others knowing that they had stood in a voting line and exercised their right as a citizen. If it had been me, I would’ve been PROUD to show my face and waving at the camera! However, because of people being uncomfortable with it, as well as other potential problems, I concede that a LAW should be proposed to curtail the use of cell phone cameras.

Until then, my conscience is clear and I’m proud to have voted today.