poll watcher

American  

[pohl] / poʊl /

Or poll-watcher

noun

1. a representative of a political party or of an organization running a candidate who is assigned to the polls on an election day to watch for violations of the laws that regulate voting, campaigning, etc.

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Usage

What is a poll watcher? A poll watcher is a person who is officially assigned to observe a polling location on election day and report violations of laws or rules related to voting or campaigning.In the United States, laws and rules regarding poll watchers vary by state. Generally, a poll watcher is a registered voter who is usually appointed by a political party or political campaign to ensure fairness for their party or candidate.Such poll watchers observe the voting process, making sure all voters are following the law and the vote is being conducted properly. A poll watcher can challenge a voter’s eligibility to vote by bringing their concern to poll workers or election officials. However, poll watchers are prohibited from interfering in the voting process in any way. They are not allowed to watch someone vote, to count votes later, or to stop a person from voting. They can only report their concerns to poll workers or election officials.Sometimes, poll watchers also attempt to keep track of voter lists in order to identify people who have not yet voted and who may support their party or candidate. Doing so allows them to tell campaign workers which voters could be contacted and encouraged to vote before the polls close.In the U.S., interest in the meaning of the term poll worker and the role of poll workers has increased due to concerns about voter intimidation, which is illegal. Although official poll watchers are intended to prevent any unfair practices, some poll workers have been accused of intimidating people to prevent them from voting.The term poll watcher is also sometimes used very loosely to refer to people who attempt to observe other voters for some reason—such as to prevent the perceived threat of voter fraud—despite not having been officially assigned to do so.The practice of serving as a poll watcher or the collective action of poll watchers can be called poll watching. Poll watcher can also be spelled with a hyphen, as poll-watcher.Example: There were a few poll watchers at the voting location keeping an eye on the process, but I didn’t see them interact with anyone.

Example Sentences

The former Republican poll watcher is accused of trying to gain access to sensitive election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia.

From BBC

Hall, a Republican poll watcher in Georgia's Fulton County, was booked by the county's sheriff's office on Tuesday and has not yet been released, the jail records showed.

From Reuters

Tana Pradia, a 63-year-old poll watcher in a mostly Black and Latino neighborhood, applauded Harris County’s decision to sue.

From Washington Times

In Cobb County, which is northwest of Atlanta, Jacquelyn Bettadapur, the chair of the county’s Democratic Party and a statewide poll watcher, said that she did not expect lines there to be an issue.

From New York Times

Eight months later, Paxton's office brought the case before a grand jury and unsuccessfully tried to indict Icsezen for obstructing a poll watcher, records show.

From Salon