Greg Diaz Whining about Retired Ladies?

Observing the election process is well within the right of any voter to conduct.

The conduct of observers are outlined clearly by state election law and guidelines put out by the county elections office. It is my understanding, and Diaz has not provided any facts to the contrary, that all observers, in this instance mostly older retired ladies, followed the law and observed simply the voting process.

County elections officials should not be weary or suspicious of poll watchers. These retired women should be lauded for desiring to be involved in maintaining that the elections process is smooth and unencumbered.

Further, poll watchers are expressly prohibited to talking to voters or interfering with the voting process.

No instance of voter intimidation or interference occurred. If there was one, we would have heard about it two weeks ago. Further, it is Diaz's fiduciary responsibility to prosecute such an occurrence - where are the facts? The demagoguing of this issue by Diaz is simply petty and amateurish.

Now, I suspect these "complaints" are coming from the poll workers themselves. Do they fell pressure to do things exactly as prescribed? Absolutely. That is why the poll watchers are there to ensure that the polling location opens on time, make sure they have the proper ballots at the polling location, ensure that the ballot boxes are secure, and that the voting machines are operating properly. If there is a problem the poll watchers (again retired ladies), were to simply take note and not interfere. If this action by retired ladies constitutes "voter intimidation," then Diaz needs to reevaluate his role as Clerk-Recorder.

Poll watchers in Nevada County need to be vigilant, because any number of issues can arise. For example in the primary election, the elections office misprinted all the ballots that were to be cast in the polling location, which preventing them from being accepted by the voting machines in the polling location and needing to all be counted in the elections office.

Also in this general election, there were plenty of disturbing issues.

First, poll watchers from one precinct reported the voting machine (or scanners as the report was not clear which) had not been zeroed out until after the election started.

Second, poll watchers observed that two voting machines were accidentally delivered to the wrong polling location - one without the required security seals.

Third, poll watchers from five consolidated precincts reported that voting machines were not working.

These retired ladies just took note and made sure that the elections officials were able to adequately address the situation.

After two elections where these retired women actually watched the mess that occurs in Nevada County, voter fraud is not the issue - it is an issue of Diaz's competence. Instead of attacking retired ladies, Diaz should think that a little extra scrutiny and sunlight on the elections process is a good thing.