Watchdogs needed on Election Day:

  This coming Monday and Tuesday we need volunteers to watch the ballots being opened and inspected at your County Elections Offices. I’m in charge of recruiting poll watchers for the Voter Integrity Project for Clackamas County. Observers are welcome and sit at a large glass window to watch handling and possible enhancement. If you’re interested in donating two hours of your time to protect our vote please contact me at lvandermolen@verizon.net. I’m keeping track of only those people who would like to watch at the Oregon City Elections Office. Please email me which time you prefer.

   Poll watching starts on Monday at about 10:00 a.m. as they open mail-in ballots. They go until about 3:00 pm. On Tuesday they’ll start at 7 a.m. and go until the election is over. The Election Office is at 1710 Red Soils Court, Oregon City, 97045.

  We also need people willing to go to any drop-off ballot box at about 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday night to watch the behavior of people who pick up the ballots and take them to the County Elections Offices. Watch to see if they are there by 8:00 p.m. and if they collect ballots after 8:00. They’re supposed to turn away anyone who isn’t already in line at the drop of box at closing time.

  You may be wondering what could possibly go wrong. But during the presidential election of 2008 I watched at the Tualatin Library drop off box while the ballot carriers assigned to that location cheered and chanted for Obama as soon as they received news that the polls were closed, breaking any façade of neutrality.

   Across town a friend of mine was watching a ballot box when she got a cell phone call from the Voter Integrity Project that some guy was walking between lined up cars and offering to take their ballots to the drop box for them. Instead, he collected ballots into a box and put them directly into the bed of his pickup. When my friend asked a nearby policeman how to get to the site where the guy was collecting ballots, the cop said, “I’m not telling.”

   I guess election integrity isn’t something that concerns Portland policemen, but it’s a good reason to adopt a ballot drop site and follow the carriers all the way to their election offices to make sure the ballots are delivered. Ballot drop sites are at libraries. Or you can go to your county’s web site and click on their “Elections” tab. They have lists of all drop off sites.

  We do not confront, but we do record and take pictures is necessary. Please email me if you’d like to do either job next week. Thanks,

Lyneil Vandermolen