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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 3. ELECTIONS AND ETHICS |
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Chapter 3-10. INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM |
Section 3-1008. WATCHERS
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1008.1Two (2) persons representing the proposer(s) and two (2) persons representing any political committee or committees registered with the Office of Campaign Finance and organized in opposition to a proposed initiative or referendum measure may be present during the counting and validation procedures and shall be deemed watchers.
1008.2To secure the presence of watchers, the proposer, or any committee registered in opposition, shall file a petition for credentials for watchers, within three (3) days from the date the initiative or referendum petition is submitted for filing.
1008.3Each petition for credentials shall be on a form furnished by the Board and shall contain the following:
(a)The name, address, telephone number, and signature of the proposer(s) or the committee(s), together with the title of the proposed measure and its serial number;
(b)The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the persons authorized to represent the proposer(s) or the committee(s) and receive the badges from the Board; and
(c)A certificate that each proposed watcher shall conform to the regulations of the Board concerning watchers and the conduct of the counting and validation process.
1008.4The Board shall issue a badge for each authorized watcher, with space for the watcher’s name, the serial number of the measure, and the name of the proposer(s) or political committee(s) represented by the watcher.
1008.5Badges shall be worn by the authorized watcher at all times when observing the counting and validation process.
1008.6An authorized alternate watcher may, in the discretion of the proposer(s) or the political committee(s), be substituted for a watcher at any time during the counting and validation process; provided, that notice is first given to the designated representative of the Board who is present.
1008.7No watcher shall at any time during the counting and validation process do the following:
(a)Touch any official record of the Board; or
(b)Interfere with the progress of the counting and validation process or obstruct in any way the process.
1008.8If a watcher has any questions or claims any discrepancy, inaccuracy, or error in the conduct of the procedures, he or she shall direct his or her question or complaint to the Board designee in charge.
1008.9Any watcher who, in the judgment of the Board or its designated representative, has failed to comply with any of the rules in this section may be requested to leave the area where the verification process is being conducted, and the watcher’s credentials shall be deemed canceled. An authorized alternate watcher may be substituted.