By Doug Ardt
Protocol for Political Party Observers
The Gila County Department of Elections in their efforts to carry out Arizona election laws and procedures has established Protocol for Political Party Observers. These protocols are intended to provide guidance to observers and ensure that questions or issues are handled quickly and efficiently and that observers participate in the election process with minimal disruption to the voter, the polling place election board and elections staff.
Observer Appointments and Procedures
A.R.S.§ 16-590 provides for the appointment of challengers and party representatives:
A. The county chairman of each party may, for each precinct, by written appointment addressed to the election board, designate a party agent or representative and alternates for a polling place in the precinct who may act as challengers for the party which appointed him.
B. At each voting place, one challenger for each political party may be present and act, but no challenger may enter a voting booth except to mark his ballot.
C. Not more than the number of party representatives for each party which were mutually agreed upon by each political party represented on the ballot shall be in the polling place at one time. If such agreement cannot be reached, the number of representatives shall be limited to one in the polling place at one time for each political party.
The county party chairman must provide the Gila County Department of Elections with a copy of a signed letter of appointment for each party representative, designating the duties of the representative (as an observer, challenger, or to pick up poll list pages, or all three), no later than 5:00 p.m. two weeks before the election. The letters may be provided by fax to the attention of Gila County Elections at (928) 402-4319, or mailed, or hand delivered, to Gila County Elections at 5515 S Apache Avenue, Globe AZ 85501. The county party chair must sign each letter. Each party representative must have the appointment letter in hand when entering the polling place and must show the appointment letter to the polling place Marshal who will direct them to the Inspector.
Each county chairman will notify the county elections office of the number of party representatives agreed upon for each polling place. If notification is not received by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election, only one representative from each party will be allowed in a polling place at one time, except for the party representative arriving solely for the purpose of picking up the poll list pages.
If the challenger makes a Challenge:
Questions or concerns regarding the voting process or activities at the polling site or any challengers should be brought to the attention of the Inspector. If the Inspector is unavailable, call the Gila County Department of Elections at 928-402-8750 or 928-402-8708.
Observers should “observe” as quietly as possible. Observers may not: enter a voting booth, except to mark their own ballot; touch any ballot; approach any voter; disrupt the polling place; engage in protracted or political conversation; or interfere with the voting process in any way. Violators will be asked to leave the polling place.
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