Concern raised over poll presence for candidate

SWAMPSCOTT – Some residents expressed concerns regarding a campaign manger for Lori Ehrlich being present at a polling place while ballots were being cast, but the state law indicates the 8th Essex District candidate was within her rights.One resident, who asked not to be identified, said as an independent he was disturbed by the presence of Shelley Sackett, who is Democrat Lori Ehrlich’s campaign manager, at the table where he had to declare whether he wanted a Republican or Democratic ballot.”I and others found her attendance especially troubling as registered Independents,” he said. “I needed to select a party and felt her presence simply inappropriate.”Sackett was just one of Ehrlich’s poll checkers who were present at the polling places throughout town during Tuesday’s primary election.Calls to Ehrlich were not immediately returned Wednesday, but according to Town Clerk Sue Duplin, state law allows each candidate to have three observers at a polling place. The poll watchers are responsible for marking a personal voter registry list to keep track of who has cast a ballot.Sackett spent a good portion of the day on Super Tuesday in the First Congregational Church, the polling place for precincts 3 and 4.Sackett said she was aware a complaint was made about her presence while she was still at the polling place.”A police officer and the town clerk both came over and told me someone had complained,” she said. “They told me I was fine and there wasn’t a problem.”Duplin said Ehrlich asked permission to have poll watchers in place and the other candidates did not. According to Duplin, who was at that polling place periodically throughout the day, Sackett was not wearing any political buttons or handing out campaign literature.Sackett said Ehrlich’s campaign had poll checkers at every polling place in Marblehead and Swampscott.”There were not any complaints except one in the precinct I was in,” she said. “I knew about it immediately because the town clerk told me a compliant had been called in.”Sackett said Ehrlich’s poll checkers followed the letter of the law.”We were instructed by the people in charge of the election,” she said. “We were told where to sit and what procedures to follow. We were told not to say one word to anyone voting and we could only speak with other people at the table when we were spoken to.”