Midday Poll Watch Report

The pernicious requirement that voters show ID to cast a ballot is wreaking havoc across the country today, according to election experts involved in poll watching efforts. On a 10 a.m. conference call organized by Common Cause , election watchers said that voters are being asked for ID even in states where there is no voter ID law. The most high-profile incident so far happened yesterday, with the Missouri secretary of state being asked three times to show ID even though the state voter ID law had been struck down.

The same states that were flagged  before the election as being at highest risk for voting snafus are now, predictably, reporting problems. The poll watchers said they're receiving thousands of calls from voters in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania. So far, the main complaints fall into one of three categories: the confusion about voter ID laws, electronic voting machines mis-registering votes, and polling places not opening for a variety of reasons. To report problems in your precinct, call 1-866-OUR VOTE.

More updates to come later today. 

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