Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos on Monday signed a directive that will introduce new requirements for poll observers who want to “challenge” voters on Election Day.
The move comes as President Donald Trump has called for poll watchers to monitor voting Election Day, most recently in Pennsylvania, a swing state.
Under state law, political parties, independent candidates and public committees advocating for or against ballot questions are allowed to send two representatives to Vermont polling places to watch and challenge voters’ rights to cast ballots.
These observers can challenge voters on two grounds: if they suspect a voter is not the person they claim to be, or that they have already voted in a given election. Members of local boards of civil authority then determine whether an individual can vote.
Condos’ directive will require election observers who want to challenge voters to register with town clerks no later than Friday, four days before the election. He said the requirement is aimed at giving local election officials the opportunity to make adjustments to accommodate for poll observers, and maintain a safe, socially-distanced environment.
“We want them to register in advance so that the clerks can properly plan for a safe layout when they set up their space for the check-in and observation process,” Condos said.
Previously, there was no requirement to register, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The directive will not limit members of the public from observing elections proceedings from designated areas on Nov. 3.
The secretary of state said he isn’t aware of any case in which a poll watcher has challenged someone’s right to vote in Vermont. He also isn’t aware of groups planning major poll-watching efforts for Election Day.
But he said he also decided to introduce the requirement after increased “rhetoric” at the national level, and concerns about poll watching on Nov. 3.
“It hasn’t been an issue before, but this year, I think because of some of the rhetoric that we’re hearing on the national stage, but also some of the concerns we’ve heard from media, from town clerks, even from voters asking us about this, we decided we need to clarify this,” Condos said.
In response to Trump’s comments about poll watching, Condos and Attorney General T.J. Donovan released a statement decrying voter intimidation earlier this month.
The directive Condos signed Monday also clarifies the process for voters who want to cast ballots on Election Day, but received absentee ballots this year.
The directive states that voters can bring their absentee ballots to the polls on Nov. 3, or vote at the polls without their absentee ballots, as long as they sign an affidavit swearing that they have yet to vote in the election.
