Muscling in at the polls

Voters in several minority precincts in Harris County have complained of being harassed while trying to cast their votes in early voting. The County Attorney's Office received 14 complaints on the first day of early voting for the November 2 general election.

The complaints came from Kashmere Gardens, Moody Park, Sunnyside and other predominantly minority neighborhoods. The complaints included poll watchers "hovering over" voters, "getting into election workers' faces" and blocking or disrupting lines of voters waiting to cast their ballots. -- Terry O'Rourke, First Assistant Harris County Attorney

True the Vote, a group associated with the Tea Party and going by the moniker King Street Patriots, promised before the election that they would be on hand to challenge check voters' credentials at the polls. While the attorney for the King Street Patriots denies the members are poll watchers, he doesn't deny the group was out at the polls carrying out their threat promise.

The right to vote is precious and shouldn't be taken lightly - and neither should the efforts of those attempting to prevent citizens from exercising their civic duty.

See also:
"Voter intimidation complaints get second look," KTRK-13 (Oct. 19, 2010)