Poll watcher removed from Chatham County voting precinct

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - A Chatham County Board of Elections member says a poll watcher had to be removed from the Island Christian Church voting precinct on Tuesday.

According to board member Antwan Lang, the poll watcher “disregarded the rules and yelled at poll workers and voters.”

Lang says he was visiting one of several polling locations and was approached and berated by this poll watcher as he was walking inside the polling location.

Lang says he then spoke with the poll manager who told him the poll watcher had been yelling at voters and poll workers and making them feel uncomfortable. This all started after he says the poll watcher began yelling at a new poll worker who was on his phone and wasn’t aware he couldn’t be.

She then began yelling at him and the other poll workers. Lang also asked her to leave and she refused again.

He says after calling the Board of Elections Office and being briefed on the protocol for a situation like this, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office was then called to help.

The poll watcher was then asked again to leave in the presence of the sheriff’s office deputy, and she refused which ultimately lead to the deputy escorting her off the property. Lang says poll watchers are not allowed to speak to poll workers other than a manager.

“We don’t want disruption in any way. You are literally, your job is literally in your name. Poll watcher. Watch what’s happening in the poll and report back to whatever is happening to your superiors what you see. You can talk to a poll manager, pull them aside because they are the next in line besides coming to our staff here at the office but that is ultimately your job is to watch what’s happening at the poll and if you have a discrepancy or if you have an issue or if you have a challenge bring it up to a poll manager,” Lang said.

Lang says there have not been any other poll watchers dismissed Tuesday.

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