HOUSTON - by Jeremy Desel / KHOU 11 News and www.khou.com - A poll watcher in the Acres Homes community of Houston claims she saw something troubling during last week’s early voting.
“I love America,” says Eve Rockford. “I want every vote to count. I want to make sure that when people come to the door and they stand in line for two hours, their vote counts.”
She has been a poll watcher for years, and what she says she saw at the Acres Homes early voting location on Friday afternoon was new.
“I started seeing them pulling people from different areas, and when I saw them moving people right through those e-slate machines to that front desk, I was like ‘there is something seriously wrong with this,’” says Rockford.
Who was pulling voters? Rockford says it was three people wearing bright blue logo shirts of the NAACP, who she says “took over” the polling place.
State law says only voters, official poll watchers, and election officials can be within 100 feet of the polling place. That’s why election signs usually stop somewhere near the curb of a polling place.
But that’s not what happpend Friday, says Rockford.
“They are in the building. They are not a hundred feet out the door. They are inside the building.”
Houston NAACP Chapter President Rev. Reginald Liley says they were only looking to help and did not, to his knowledge, break any rules.
“If that were the case, for an elderly person who may be feeble or disabled to get assistance to stand up and exercise their right to vote, I don’t see how that should create such disdane,” says Liley.
Rockford filed her incident report with True the Vote, a Houston-area based national poll watching group, but she told Bill Ouren about problems as they were happening.
He says he called the county to report the issue.
“I was absolutely astonished that the county did not take control of that situation,” says Ouren.
The story has received national attention on right-leaning blogs, even showing up on the Drudge Report. Some talk was critical of Rockford for not doing more to record the alleged violations.
“When you are a poll watcher, you can’t have a camera,” says Rockford. “You can’t make a phone call. You are there to watch and take notes. That is it. Observe.”
Those observations are now cause for national debate.
This story comes to us through KFDM's media partnership with KHOU TV in Houston
Related Stories
- More Texas News
- National News
- International News
- Ex-police officer gets prison for abusing suspect
- Police: Man fatally shot was Mexican attorney
- Gun measure triggers Republican fight in House
- Deputy shot by Colo. suspect to return to work
- Texas has 8 of top 15 fastest-growing cities in US
- Texas cities among fastest-growing in US
- Federal indictment in real estate investment scam
- Parkland takes step toward paying $1.4M settlement
- Suspect sought after man fatally shot at Southlake
- Funeral Saturday for Dallas firefighter Wilson
- Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen
- Christian Brothers reach deal in US abuse claims
- 2 charged in slayings of 6 on Tenn.-Ala. border
- Part of unused parking garage collapses in Md.
- 5 arrested in Conn. $4M jewelry heist, kidnapping
- US criticized over response to Indonesia attacks
- OKC police correct damage estimate to 12K homes
- Pa. woman convicted in fiance's wedding day death
- Iowa's Dahm out as baseball coach
- Thunderstorms slow Oklahoma tornado cleanup
- Brazil police arrest 9 for abusing Indian girls
- Sweden's riots raise questions about inequality
- Embattled Toronto mayor fires chief of staff
- Military calls UK attack victim a model soldier
- Canada terror suspect: Lawyer must use 'holy book'
- Israel says Iran unaffected by world pressure
- Cayman opposition will lead coalition gov't
- 86 sentenced in Macedonia highway toll scam case
- Violence in Somalia scares investors, aid workers
- Togo police fire tear gas at protesters
Automotive
Find valuable information about buying your next car, including price quotes and your latest automotive news.
Wedding Central
The greatest Southeast Texas story ever told. Share your wedding and engagement news!
Lost and Found Pets
These are pets that have been lost or found in the KFDM News Channel 6 viewing area.
No Text Zone
Texting While Driving Kills Thousands of People Each Year. Many More are Seriously Injured. You Can Help Make Our Roads a NO TEXT ZONE
Texas Lottery
Texas Lottery
Community Calendar
Check out our Community Calendar!
Baby Talk
Baby Talk with Nicole Murray.
KFDM Channel 6 Top Stories
Business News
Bernanke signals Fed to maintain stimulus efforts
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs.
Consumer News
BC-US--Dow Record-Three Personal Stories, 1st Ld-Writethru,1173
Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes
AP Photo FX102, FX103
Eds: With BC-US--Dow Record. Adds photos.
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
Entertainment News
"HANGOVER 3"
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- All hangovers come to an end eventually, and so, too, "The Hangover" franchise.
Get This
SWINGERS CLUB LAWSUIT-VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- David Cooper wants to bring a little more sin -- to Sin City.
Science/Tech News
IN THE NEWS: TEEN ONLINE FAREWELL SONG ATTRACTS MILLIONS OF VIEWS
LAKELAND, Minn. (AP) -- High school student Zach Sobiech (SOH'-bee-eck) says he wanted to be remembered as "a kid who went down fighting and didn't really lose."

