Philly GOP complains its poll watchers, minority inspectors are turned away at polling places

The Philadelphia Republican Party took to Twitter early Tuesday morning to report what it argues were instances of voter fraud at polling locations around the city.

It began in North Philadelphia in the 16thWard, where the party said its court-appointed minority inspector was denied entry.

1ST MAJOR ISSUE AT POLLS: Ward 16, Div 2 (N Philly) — our court-appointed Minority Inspector is being refused. @CBSPhilly @NBCPhiladelphia

Our civic and sacred duty to hold onto hope

Talk It OUT: LGBTQ Voices In A Queer Election Year

Subscribe:

RSS

iTunes

Spotify

Amazon

— Philly GOP (@PhillyGOP) November 8, 2016

That quickly spread to three more wards, the 34th, 40th and 66th.

UPDATE: Minority Inspectors REFUSED ENTRY in 4 polling places across city: 16-2, 34-27, 40-3, 66-27 @GMA @FOX29philly @foxandfriends

— Philly GOP (@PhillyGOP) November 8, 2016

Poll watchers were also refused entry in the 28th and 52ndwards and at a polling location at 10th and Oxford streets, the party said.

At 8:30 a.m., the local party reported that a poll watcher assigned to the 37thWard had their certificate stolen and torn up.

UPDATE: Ward 37-15 — Poll Watcher certificate has been stolen by somebody in polling place & torn up.
— Philly GOP (@PhillyGOP) November 8, 2016

Joe DeFelice, chairman of the Philly GOP, issued a statement Tuesday morning, as reported by Philly Voice:

“As the polls open today, we are already seeing major issues at the polls. As happens every year in certain parts of the city where Democrats go unchecked, our court-appointed Minority Inspectors are not being sat and our poll watchers are being refused entry. Already before 6:45 a.m. we’ve had four Minority Inspectors refused entry across the city (Ward 16-2, 34-27, 66-27 and 40-3). In 28-3 and 52-4 our poll watchers aren’t being let in. The question is: What would the Democrats running that polling station be looking to hide?”