Observers must preregister before 3pm Nov 2nd by contacting the Town Clerk at townclerk@carlislema.gov or by letter or other written communication to the office at 66 Westford St. to be assured of a place to observe the polls during mechanical testing, voting hours, or during counting.
People who wish to observe on Election Day who have not registered may not be accommodated.
Observers shall abide by all laws and regulations.
Observers will only be allowed in the designated location for observation. Location within polling place will depend upon the stated function of the observer and the physical space, taking into account necessary distancing. Observers are allowed to observe quietly, keep notes, and challenge a ballot for any legal cause*.
Observers may not:
- Speak directly to voters;
- Speak to each other;
- Talk on cell phones;
- Take pictures of individual voters checking-in;
- Take pictures of voters marking their ballots or depositing their marked ballots into the ballot box in a manner in which the secrecy of the ballot may be compromised;
- Record audio of the check-in process;
- Converse with election workers; or
- Ask election officials to repeat or speak louder. If election officials are not announcing the name and address of the voter loud enough, the observer should contact the warden;
- Display or wear campaign buttons, t-shirts, hats, or any other material or item that supports or opposes or are otherwise intended to influence a candidate or question on the ballot at the current election;
- Wander from the designated observation location
Observers who violate the law will be asked to leave or removed from the polling location.
Contact the Town Clerk for further information.
*Legal causes to challenge ballots: this person is not old enough to vote; this person is not a U.S. citizen; this person should have been removed from the voting list; this person has already voted; this person is not the person he claims to be. When asked by an election officer, the challenger shall be required to briefly set forth factual information specific and personal to the challenged voter as to the reasons that voter is not qualified to vote in the election at that precinct.