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How to Run for Political Office: A Campaign Manual for Pennsylvania Candidates
(PDF of this manual)
Chapter 8: Getting Out the Vote on Election Day
The many months of planning and campaigning culminate on election day. The final responsibility of a candidate running for office is to staff polling places with well-trained members of the campaign organization.
In both the primary and November elections, each candidate is permitted two "poll watchers" at every polling place within the legislative district or jurisdiction served by the office sought.340 Additionally, in the November election each political party or body is permitted three poll watchers in every election district in which candidates of the party or body are running for office.341
Watchers may be residents or non-residents of the voting division to which they are assigned, but in either case must be qualified registered electors of the County in which the division is located.342
To obtain Watcher's Certificates, the campaign organization submits a petition with a list of qualified individuals and the divisions to which they will initially be assigned to the county board of elections (check to see if there is an official form used by your county). This should be done well in advance of Election Day to ensure time for processing and issuance of certificates. Please note that pursuant to a statutory amendment in October 2004, watchers are no longer bound to one voting division for the entire day, and may be reassigned to other polling locations at the discretion of the campaign.343
Only one watcher per candidate and, in the November election, one watcher per organization is allowed inside the polling place at any time during polling hours. 344Nevertheless, maintaining a full team of watchers is important to the success of a campaign. Inside the polling place, the watcher is entitled to observe the functioning of the polls and the actions of election officials, campaign workers, or other poll watchers. The watchers' presence helps to ensure the fair conduct of election officials and the accurate reporting of election results. Therefore, watchers should be aware of election laws and report any violations to the Judge of Elections. If the Judge fails to act, the watcher should notify the County Board of Elections or call the Committee of Seventy. The watcher may challenge the right of any person he or she believes is not eligible to vote.345 It is also within the watcher's authority to challenge the casting of absentee ballots at the close of the polls on Election Day. 346
The watcher inside the polling place also plays a crucial role in "getting out" the vote. The law permits a watcher to maintain a list of voters.347 Candidates should be sure that each watcher team is provided with a street list of registered voters for its division. Watchers should be instructed to review the list with organization members familiar with the neighborhood and to identify known or likely supporters of the candidate. Watchers should check this list against a telephone book and enter the phone numbers of these voters on the street list. On Election Day, the "inside" watcher marks off voters' names as they vote and provides an up-to-date report to the outside watchers or other campaign workers on the voters they should call or visit to urge or provide assistance to visit the polls.
Watchers outside the polling place should remain available to relieve the "inside" watchers and insure that the polling place is never unattended. In the meantime, they should contact or visit eligible voters who have not voted. They should also distribute literature and urge arriving voters to consider their candidate. Note that watchers outside of the polling place must remain a distance of at least ten feet from the entrance to the polling place under the dictates of the Election Code. 348
After the polls close, all watchers are permitted inside the polling place to witness the opening of the machines and the preparation of the official returns for the division.349 Every watcher-team should prepare its own complete set of returns for its division, relying not only on the counts from the election board, but also on personal observation of the voting machine counters. Specifically, watchers should compare the actual numbers on the voting machines with the totals on the official return sheets. These returns should be delivered to the campaign headquarters and checked against official returns. Watcher returns are one of the best protections against voter fraud and clerical error.
340 25 P.S. § 2687(a).
341 25 P.S. § 2687(a).
342 25 P.S. § 2687(b).
343 25 P.S. § 2687 (b)
344 25 P.S. § 2687(b).
345 25 P.S. § 2687(b). Note that voters and polling officials are also able to initiate voter challenges.
346 25 P.S. § 3146.8. While State law provides for poll watchers to be present for the opening and counting of absentee ballots, for counties with central counting of absentee ballots, including Philadelphia, this practice differs.
In Philadelphia, to ensure proper handling of absentee ballots, the central counting facility for the County of Philadelphia keeps all absentee ballots in a secure place. On Election Day, a listing of the absentee ballots received for that division is posted at each polling place. The central facility holds all of the unopened ballots until after the polls have closed and the absentee list has been returned to the central location, noting which ballots have been voided because the person cast a ballot in-person, and which absentee ballots have been challenged as ineligible. At that point, taking care to maintain the confidentiality of voters while permitting party/candidate representatives to witness the counting process, the central facility opens and counts all qualified absentee ballots, setting aside any that have been challenged until such challenge is resolved. 25 P.S. § 3146.8(e).
Poll watchers in Philadelphia may lodge challenges based upon the absentee ballot lists distributed by the central facility. For every challenge lodged, State law requires a $10 cash deposit, to be refunded only if the challenge is sustained or withdrawn within five days after the election. 25 P.S. § 3146.8(f). Challenges which are not withdrawn must be decided by the County Board of Elections during a public hearing within seven days of the date of the challenge. The parties then have two days from the date of the Board’s decision to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. 25 P.S. § 3146.8(e). Note, voters and polling place officials are also permitted to initiate absentee ballot challenges.
Absentee ballot challenge procedures differ by county. Contact the local county board of elections to find out what practices poll watchers should follow in challenging absentee ballots.
347 25 P.S. § 2687(b).
348 25 P.S. § 3060(d).
349 25 P.S. § 2687(b
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