7 ms·
there was an election in NYC recently, and police were at the locations where folks cast ballots.
by lbotos 5y ago
there was an election in NYC recently, and police were at the locations where folks cast ballots.
- chrisseaton 5y ago> police were at the locations where folks cast ballots Is that normal? That seems massively inappropriate to me.
- bberenberg 5y agoYes it is normal. They are there to enforce the regulations around no campaigning within a certain distance, and other voting related laws. Plenty of crazies showing up insisting on inspecting ballots and stuff, and poll workers delegate dealing with this to cops.
- Tenhundfeld 5y agoYeah, I think it's fairly normal to have an officer outside of or at the entrance to a polling location. They're not actually in the room with poll watchers, etc., and certainly nowhere near the private voting booths. It has never felt inappropriate to me – maybe because I typically vote at a public school, where it's normal to see a crossing guard or public safety officer outside.
- estebank 5y agoSeeing cops in public schools is also weird to people outside the US.
- GekkePrutser 5y agoAlso metal detectors at schools. Very weird and unimaginable in Europe
- wavefunction 5y agoIt's not normal. In fact there was a police officer from Florida if I recall correctly who was reprimanded for voting in their uniform. It's considered potential voter intimidation to have a police officer standing around at a polling place.
- lbotos 5y agoOh man! Wait till you go to Penn station and see military/police (the line is blurry) on patrol: https://i.redd.it/v1qol3qqfoq41.jpg https://i.redd.it/v1qol3qqfoq41.jpg https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-jtf-empire-shield-members-pose-for-pictures-with-tourists-at-penn-174477958.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-jtf-empire-shield-members-... My understanding re: polling is for "election security" which... was a big deal nationally for better or worse.
- thehappypm 5y agoHaving some security at a polling place feels extremely appropriate. Any private security would run the risk of being partisan. The military would run the risk of having the ruling party order the military to do intimidation. Local police are the right choice.
- chrisseaton 5y agoBut aren't police unions partisan in the US? Is a police officer standing outside a polling station representing their union's politics? Must feel so to some people.
- GekkePrutser 5y agoThey're standing there as the institution, not their personal opinions or unions. I think it's pretty benign.
- thehappypm 5y agoMaybe, but at some point, every single human is partisan. Police officers aren't affiliated with a party, officially, so they are at least semi-neutral. And since local police live in the same community, they're incentivized to be civil to their neighbors. Who would want the scandal of doing something nefarious in their own town's polls?
- davchana 5y agoIs it not? I think police's duty at polling place is to maintain order, nobody shouts, breaks the line, becomes violent, break things, creates chaos. If sny objection, follows the procedure calmly n within law. They are most of the time near entrance. They are never near anywhere you cast the votes.