Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been making news with his recruitment of so-called “poll-watchers” to ensure that the election system is fair.
Critics have decried the move as a thinly veiled call for voter intimidation at the polls. Meanwhile, many civil rights groups have joined in a broad campaign to prevent voter intimidation by training their own poll monitors.
As The Texas Tribune reports,poll watching is common in Texas elections, but those who do it must follow many rules. Monitors must be eligible to vote in the county where they’re serving. They can’t bother you while you’re casting a ballot. They must be certified by a candidate or party. Texas state law prohibits poll watchers and voters from wearing any emblem related to a candidate. And parties may not appoint more than two watchers at any polling spot.