Central Florida elections chiefs, law officers stand ready
Elections supervisors in Central Florida say they’re prepared to deal with any attempted intimidation or violence at the polls amid heightened tensions nationwide about Tuesday’s vote.
But they concede their limitations beyond the 150-foot limit outside polling locations, which is the boundary between their jurisdictions and local law enforcement.
And law officers themselves have been a flashpoint, as their presence at polling sites also is restricted because they could be seen as intimidating to voters
“It’s a real needle and thread,” said Chris Anderson, the Seminole County elections chief.
The150-foot line
Supervisors and law enforcement say there have been no reports of voter intimidation so far
in Central Florida amid record-setting early voting and voting by mail. But concerns remain.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security warned of possible unrest or disruptions at polling locations around the country from domestic extremists “and other violent actors.”
The report emphasized that “racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists — specifically white supremacists — will remain the most persistent and lethal threat.”
The boundary between what’s officially considered an election site and the outside world remains the biggest question. In Fairfax, Virginia, for example, a group of President Donald Trump’s supporters waving flags stood just outside that state’s 100-foot limit, chanting and forcing voters waiting in line to walk around them before a new line was formed inside.
In Florida, election supervisors have trained, deputized security assigned to each site, who answer only to the head poll worker.
Sworn in by the elections offices, they have duties limited to within the 150-foot mark from the site’s entrance.
with in that limit, Florida law states there can be no campaigning by anyone. That means no talking to voters in line about a candidate, no asking who they’re voting for, and no distributing or selling any campaign material. You can wear campaign clothing or hats, however.
Any “unruly or disruptive” people could be removed by the designated security. Theother option is to call the cops.
Orange supervisor Bill Cowles said he’s spoken with all law enforcement offices and departments in the county about the rules and how they apply to each polling location.
If any incident occurs within the 150-foot mark, the head poll worker would contact Cowles’ office, which would then call the sheriff’s office or police.
The Orlando Police Department and the Seminole and Lake Sheriff’s Offices said they would respond to any issues in their jurisdiction and were ready towork with the elections offices if called in.
They deferred other questions about enforcement to elections supervisors.
But during the first few days of early voting, lines at some sites snaked beyond the 150-foot limit.
“In Lady Lake, what I’ve been told is that the lines have been around the building up there, which is certainly more than 150 feet from the front door,” Lake supervisor Alan Hays said.
But Anderson said his office’s hands weren’t entirely tied when it came to any incident taking place outside 150 feet.
Anderson said he would use Florida’s “breach of peace” law, which guarantees the right to peace and quiet.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re inside the 150 or outside of it, certain behavior could be a violation of that Florida state statute,” Anderson said.
He added he’s personally marked off the distance and placed signs at several voting sites.
“In Lake Mary, the library has a unique situation where they’re right next door to a park,” he said. “So they have this very long sidewalk that extends across into a park walking area. So I said, ‘You know what, let me just put an extra campaigning sign here to make it very clear where candidates can and cannot be.’”
Those boundaries are even being tested by President Donald Trump himself. Trump’s Tampa rally on Thursday was just outside the 150-foot limit for the Raymond James Stadium early voting site.
The Hillsborough supervisor warned voters about the potential for extra traffic and delays at the site due to the rally.
‘Come in and vote and leave’
Another question for elections officials is that of lawenforcement itself.
The Trump campaign, which has been criticized for calling on supporters to “enlist” to join a “Trump Army” of pollwatchers, has recruited retired law enforcement officers in Minneapolis to serve as “poll challengers.”
Poll watchers in Florida are limited to one per political party at each polling location, and no candidate or current law enforcement officer can serve as a poll watcher.
Florida is also one of six states that bans weapons at polling sites.
Police and deputies can bring weapons into polling places only if they’re casting a vote. Otherwise, they are prevented by law from entering unless invited in by the people running the precinct.
“If they’re there to vote, they are allowed to come into the polling location dressed in their uniform,” Mary Jane Arrington, the Osceola supervisor, said of law enforcement officers. “But they can only vote. They’re not there to strike up a conversation with anyone or anything, they’re there to come in and vote and leave.”
A Miami police officer drew criticism on one of the first days of early voting by wearing a Trump mask as he walked into a polling place in full uniform with his service weapon at his side.
The officer’s actions were slammed by Democrats, who said wearing a Trump mask while uniformed and armed could be considered voter suppression.
The Miami officer was ultimately disciplined by his department, where wearing campaign gear while on duty is strictly banned. But that is outside election officials’ purview, Anderson said.
In Florida, unlike 20 other states, voters are allowed to wear campaign gear and apparel to the polls, as long as they leave after voting and then stay outside the 150-foot limit.
“Essentially, a voter is not distinguished by their employer,” Anderson said. “If a utility worker walked in wearing a Trump mask or a Biden mask or a mask for any candidate, that isn’t raised to the level of solicitation or campaigning. Because a voter, no matter regardless of who their employer is, has the right to wear whatever they want.”
‘People have been the opposite’
The NAACP Florida has also sent hundreds of poll watchers to precincts across Central Florida to watch for voter harassment. Watchers can watch and observe, but any questions must go directly to the head poll worker at the site. Poll watchers cannot interact with voters or “obstruct the orderly conduct of an election.”
Arrington said she met with the Osceola Sheriff’s Office to plan for any contingencies. But so far, voting has gone smoothly, with no ugly incidents.
“When I’ve gone out, the people have been the opposite,” Arrington said. “People are really excited about voting, and they’re being very cordial to their neighbors.”