State Board of Elections Looking to Micromanage Yard Signs, Restrict Poll Watchers

RALEIGH – Just when a massive portion of the electorate is stomping their feet for measures that inspire more confidence in elections integrity, the N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE) is looking to restrict how many poll watchers political parties can have, and charge you with a misdemeanor if your unsanctioned, home-made yard sign is too big.

From Andrew Dunn at the Carolina Journal:

“New restrictions on poll-watchers proposed by the State Board of Elections would make the logistics of maintaining election integrity much more difficult for N.C. political parties. 

Another new rule would classify common campaign flags and yard signs as billboards — complete with paperwork requirements that would burden grassroots campaigns.

The N.C. Republican Party sent a letter to the board opposing the two rule changes, saying they “serve no other purpose than to frustrate public oversight of the voting process and to chill free speech.”

Under current law, parties appoint two observers per precinct, as well as a list of “at-large” observers that can poll-watch at multiple sites. Two poll watchers of each party can be in a precinct at once, and new poll observers are allowed to relieve their colleagues after four hours. 

The proposed change to this rule would limit the total number of people who could observe a polling site to three per day, eliminating a lot of the flexibility that parties have to make sure precincts are covered. […]”

It sure seems like the members of the NCSBE proposing these rules have missed the point entirely. Or, then again, perhaps they understand the point of inspiring confidence in election integrity, and simply desire its antithesis?

And now that executive actions have desensitized us to maintaining six feet of distance between you and another person, the NCSBE thinks it is wise to make certain that any political yard sign or flag could feet between you and that socially-distanced person — or else.

The proposals would limit yard signs and flags to 3×5 feet. Anything bigger than that, without special approval and papers documenting who paid for it, would classify as an unpermitted ‘billboard’ and get you charged with a misdemeanor.

Seriously.

Read more about how bureaucrats at the NCSBE are moving to undermine election integrity and sic the sign police on you with a tape measure, here.

Have a hot tip for First In Freedom Daily?

Got a hot news tip for us? Photos or video of a breaking story? Send your tips, photos and videos to tips@firstinfreedomdaily.com. All hot tips are immediately forwarded to FIFD Staff.

Have something to say? Send your own guest column or original reporting to submissions@firstinfreedomdaily.com.