Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 45 minutes ago
November 3rd 2020, Election Day
Richland County, South Carolina.
Receptionist calls police to try and enforce a nonexistent "No Cell Phones Allowed" policy after I ask to see the sign that says that. Richland County Sheriff's Department responds. Deputy makes contact with Richland County Recreation Commission staff, then speaks to the Lead Poll Manager Clerk. Deputy calls the Staff Attorney, then informs me that I can "record until my hearts content". The only violation the Staff Attorney could come up with is that I could possibly zoom in on someone's ballot. I informed the deputy that I was not here to zoom in on, or record any ballots, and I was being courteous to the voters by trying not to record them. I am here to record public employees in public.
The day before on November 2nd 2020, a different Lead Poll Manager Clerk here told me to leave the precinct and leave the property, which I did. But today I'm not leaving, I'm going to stand my ground and stay and educate these public employees on the freedom of the press.
I'm back, and Parklane is staffed with new poll workers, so I'm hoping that they would be more informed on the freedom of the press, leave me alone, and let me do my work.
But the receptionist recognizes me immediately, and calls the police. The poll workers follow her lead, and one even accuses me of harassment, and asks me to leave.
The staff and poll workers are ignorant of the law. They don't understand the oath they took, first amendment freedoms, state law, federal law, or who they work for.
So I have to stay, and educate these county employee poll workers for fun and for free.
My original intentions were to document the lines, identify the Clerk, and let them know that I would be coming in for no more than three minutes, to get a count of the machines and move on, without recording any ballots, or faces of the voters.
But when the county employees and poll workers called the police on me the day before, I knew I would have to stay all the way until the end to have the education take full effect.
Even though there's no reasonable expectation of privacy in public, I tried to not record the voters, especially their faces, and the ones that I did record, I masked them out with texts.
Asking is a request, asking means that something is voluntary.
South Carolina Election Commission Poll Managers Handbook P.46
As a courtesy to others, Poll Managers Are Only To ASK voters not to use cell phones, tablets, or cameras in the voting area.
South Carolina Election Commission scvotes.gov
Ballot selfies are prohibited by South Carolina Law.
The use of cameras is not allowed inside the voting BOOTH.
SC Code of Laws 7- 13 -100 Poll Managers shall take the oath to solemnly swear to conduct elections according to Law.
SC Code of Laws 7-25-100 It is unlawful for a voter to allow his ballot to be seen.
SC Code of Laws 7-13-130 Secrecy of the ballot shall be preserved at all times.
SC Code of Laws 7-13-160 No Sheriff or Policeman shall be allow to come within the polling place except to vote unless summoned by the Poll Manager.
November 3rd 2020, Election Day
Richland County, South Carolina.
Receptionist calls police to try and enforce a nonexistent "No Cell Phones Allowed" policy after I ask to see the sign that says that. Richland County Sheriff's Department responds. Deputy makes contact with Richland County Recreation Commission staff, then speaks to the Lead Poll Manager Clerk. Deputy calls the Staff Attorney, then informs me that I can "record until my hearts content". The only violation the Staff Attorney could come up with is that I could possibly zoom in on someone's ballot. I informed the deputy that I was not here to zoom in on, or record any ballots, and I was being courteous to the voters by trying not to record them. I am here to record public employees in public.
The day before on November 2nd 2020, a different Lead Poll Manager Clerk here told me to leave the precinct and leave the property, which I did. But today I'm not leaving, I'm going to stand my ground and stay and educate these public employees on the freedom of the press.
I'm back, and Parklane is staffed with new poll workers, so I'm hoping that they would be more informed on the freedom of the press, leave me alone, and let me do my work.
But the receptionist recognizes me immediately, and calls the police. The poll workers follow her lead, and one even accuses me of harassment, and asks me to leave.
The staff and poll workers are ignorant of the law. They don't understand the oath they took, first amendment freedoms, state law, federal law, or who they work for.
So I have to stay, and educate these county employee poll workers for fun and for free.
My original intentions were to document the lines, identify the Clerk, and let them know that I would be coming in for no more than three minutes, to get a count of the machines and move on, without recording any ballots, or faces of the voters.
But when the county employees and poll workers called the police on me the day before, I knew I would have to stay all the way until the end to have the education take full effect.
Even though there's no reasonable expectation of privacy in public, I tried to not record the voters, especially their faces, and the ones that I did record, I masked them out with texts.
Asking is a request, asking means that something is voluntary.
South Carolina Election Commission Poll Managers Handbook P.46
As a courtesy to others, Poll Managers Are Only To ASK voters not to use cell phones, tablets, or cameras in the voting area.
South Carolina Election Commission scvotes.gov
Ballot selfies are prohibited by South Carolina Law.
The use of cameras is not allowed inside the voting BOOTH.
SC Code of Laws 7- 13 -100 Poll Managers shall take the oath to solemnly swear to conduct elections according to Law.
SC Code of Laws 7-25-100 It is unlawful for a voter to allow his ballot to be seen.
SC Code of Laws 7-13-130 Secrecy of the ballot shall be preserved at all times.
SC Code of Laws 7-13-160 No Sheriff or Policeman shall be allow to come within the polling place except to vote unless summoned by the Poll Manager.
