Indiana § 3-6-9-13 - Watcher rights; reporting of violations; removal and revocation of credentials

§ 3-6-9-13. Watcher rights; reporting of violations; removal and revocation of credentials

Sec. 13. (a) A watcher appointed under this chapter is entitled to do the following:

(1) Enter the polls at least thirty (30) minutes before the opening of the polls and remain there throughout election day until all tabulations have been completed.

(2) Inspect the paper ballot boxes, ballot card voting system, or electronic voting system before votes have been cast.

(3) Inspect the work being done by any precinct election officer (except when a precinct election officer enters a confidential login or password to obtain access to an electronic poll book or to operate a voting system).

(4) Enter, leave, and reenter the polls at any time on election day.

(5) Witness the calling and recording of the votes and any other proceedings of the precinct election officers in the performance of official duties.

(6) Receive a summary of the vote prepared under IC 3-12-2-15, IC 3-12-3-2, IC 3-12-3-11, or IC 3-12-3.5-3, signed by the precinct election board, providing:

(A) the names of all candidates of the political party whose primary election is being observed by the watcher and the number of votes cast for each candidate if the watcher is appointed under section 1(a)(1) of this chapter; or

(B) the names of all candidates at a school board election and the number of votes cast for each candidate if the watcher is appointed under section 1(a)(2) of this chapter.

(7) Accompany the inspector and the judge in delivering the tabulation and the election returns to the county election board by the most direct route.

(8) Be present when the inspector takes a receipt for the tabulation and the election returns delivered to the county election board.

(b) A watcher appointed under this chapter shall report any violation of election laws that comes to the watcher's attention to any of the following:

(1) The inspector of the precinct.

(2) The county election board.

(3) The prosecuting attorney.

(c) A watcher may not object to any other precinct election officer concerning an alleged violation of election laws unless the watcher has the prior consent of the inspector.

(d) Upon the unanimous vote of the entire membership of the county election board, a watcher who violates subsection (c) or engages in other disruptive action in the polls may:

(1) be removed from the polls; and

(2) have the watcher's credentials revoked.

As added by P.L.14-2004, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.221-2005, SEC.12; P.L.169-2015, SEC.13; P.L.209-2021, SEC.9.

IC 3-6-10Chapter 10. Watchers for the Media

3-6-10-1Media entitled to watchers 3-6-10-2List of watchers; signature 3-6-10-3Persons entitled to receive list 3-6-10-4Application of IC 3-6-10-2 and IC 3-6-10-3 3-6-10-5Watcher identification card; powers; photographing proceedings; photographing voters 3-6-10-5.5Watcher rights 3-6-10-6Multiple county media watchers; procurement of watcher identification card