MACON, Ga. — When voters go to cast their ballot, they may notice people standing off to the side, keeping an eye on voting.
The Secretary of State calls them poll observers or watchers. Despite similarity in titles, state election law defines them differently; both are legally allowed to observe polling precincts.
Houston County Elections Assistant Andy Holland said poll observers are members of the general public while poll watchers are appointed and trained by a political party or candidate.
"They send a letter of appointment to our office. They're given a badge that says poll watcher and they're given a little bit more access to polling places than just a normal observer would," Holland said.
The Secretary of State's office says poll watchers can't be candidates on the ballot, though if they are politically affiliated, they have to abide by the no campaigning rule. Each party is allowed two watchers per voting precinct and they are required to wear credentials.
"They are allowed access into what we call the enclosed space... the area around the voting equipment where the voters are actually casting their ballots and printing their ballots and being checked in," Holland said.
Bibb County Republican Party Chairman David Sumrall said the poll watchers help ensure election integrity.
"The role of a poll watcher is to ensure the election integrity to the best of our ability to watch the activity going on, watch the machines, the poll workers, the voters as they come in, to see that all the election rules and laws are enforced," Sumrall said.
Sumrall began poll watching in 2020.
"We understand the limits and that we can't touch a machine, but we understand also you're allowed within the 6 foot perimeter of machines. We get pretty close as long as you don't invade the privacy of a voter," Sumrall said. "It's an important part of the process, the whole process of watching, because the election the ballot should be secret but the election process should be totally transparent from the beginning of the voting to the counting of the votes."
Neither poll watchers or observers can talk to voters. Holland said that's why the county employs poll workers.
"(They're) the people that are behind the poll pads, verifying your information, the people that are standing at the scanner, instructing you how to put your ballot in and taking the green card from you," Holland said.
Holland said if a watcher or observer try to interfere with your voting experience, report it to a poll worker or manager.