[From article]
The problems started as soon as I entered the building. Here was my first exchange on-site with an official who was the Democratic head judge:
Me: "Hi, I'm a Republican poll-watcher representing the Hogan campaign, and I'm here to get starting vote totals from your machines."
Her: "Sorry, but you can't do that. You need to look over the tapes we have hung outside the building." [She pointed me to 20 six-foot-long, three-inch-wide paper tapes blowing in the wind outside the front door.]
Me: "Ma’am, if I went into the IT firm where I work, and audited a customer site based upon tapes they 'claimed' were from the machines I need to see – right over there [I pointed at her Diebolds] – rather than the actual devices, they'd fire me just for stupidity."
[. . .]
Here was our very enlightening exchange:
Me: "So you're here to get numbers for an unopposed Democrat at a very Democratic-friendly PG County polling place?"
Him: "That's what my boss wants, and for me to retrieve the campaign signs."
Me: "Where's your clipboard?"
Him: "That's kinda secondary. I need to get these signs."
Me: "Why? The polls haven't closed yet."
Him: "I just want to get this done and get back home. I could be back home playing videogames in my underwear right now."
Me: "You're voting for a Democrat in Maryland? Do you think this state needs more Democrats in office? Do you even live in this state?"
Him: "They're doing all right by me."
[. . .]
"Oh! that guy? David, those guys are paid...around $200, I've heard," she whispered.
Perhaps naively, I was shocked. All of us Republican poll-watchers were volunteers, doing our patriotic duty to help with voter integrity – and this young man was essentially being bribed to make sure the polls were "fair."
http://americanthinker.com/blog/2014/11/patriotism_vs_bribery.html
November 9, 2014
Patriotism vs. Bribery: My experience at the 2014 midterm polls
By David Flynn
