Voting officals warn against 'Video Your Vote'

Sign forbidding cellphone use, at the entrance to a polling station at the West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

PBS, YouTube and other web sites want voters to use their video-equipped cellphones and PDA's to film the process on November 4th, and then upload the clips to the internet.

But there's a problem: it's illegal.

Georgia, Florida, Michigan and several other states outlaw photography or recording devices at polling stations, to one degree or another.

Nancy Boren is head of Elections and Registrations in Muscogee County.

She says polling workers and volunteers are aware of the issue, and will try to thwart it:

“We do have prohibition notices posted at our advanced and absentee voting sites; they are in clear view of the voters; they have the opportunity to review them before they enter the enclosed space for voting.”

But organizers of "Video Your Vote," and similar sites say the initiative is meant to protect voting rights by monitoring the electoral process, and fight vote fraud.

Voters in the 2000 and 2004 complained of irregularities at polling stations, including malfunctioning voting machines, vote fraud and intimidation.

Numerous signs forbidding any campaigning within 150 feet of the outer edge of the polling station were posted at at the West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Opponents call the video idea an invasion of privacy, and that the very act of filming is disruptive and would affect the outcome of voting.

Boren says that in any case, the law will be enforced:

“If that became necessary, the sheriff’s department would be called, and a deputy would come here to talk with the voter, hopefully to get them to comply and then if they don’t, they would be removed from the voting precinct.”

Poll worker distributing sample ballots to voters at the polling station at West Park Government Center in Cobb Co., Monday, Oct 13, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Punishments vary in the states where it’s forbidden, and some states have buffer zones for campaigning and photography.

But, Boren says - so far - voters in her county have been very cooperative, and officials haven’t had to confiscate any communications devices.

Click here for more GPB election coverage, and here for our exclusive elections page.

Columbus: voter turnout 'extremely low'

Turnout in Columbus for today's Senate and local runoff races is “extremely low,” as of 4 p.m. according to Director of Elections, Nancy Boren.

“Some voting stations had less than 100 people turn out,” Boren said. Earlier in the day, she had predicted no more than a five percent turnout, "if that."

There are 48 voting stations in Muscogee County.

Georgia voters will decide between DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones and former state lawmaker Jim Martin in the Democratic race for the U.S. Senate.

The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss in November.

Besides the Senate race, voters will pick Democratic and Republican candidates in a number of state and local offices.

Click here for more on this report, and GPB News election coverage.