NAACP keeps watchful eye on polling places across Philadelphia on Election Day

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Election officials aren't the only ones paying close attention to Tuesday's primary races. Some groups, like the NAACP, have taken it upon themselves to make sure every voter has an opportunity to cast a ballot without barriers.

It was Abu Edwards' mission as he crisscrossed polling locations in neighborhoods across Philadelphia on Election Day.

"We're literally just making sure that the voting machines are up and running. And that everybody who comes in to vote is voting in less than five minutes," said Edwards, who serves as political action chair for the Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP.

Edwards, who grew up in Olney, says that certain Philadelphia neighborhoods have a problematic history when it comes to voters of color.

"There's always kind of been racial tensions when it comes to Black voters in the northeast (Philadelphia)," he said.

That's why, at polling places across the area, the NAACP positions poll workers and certified poll watchers.

"They can actually observe the polls inside the polling locations," said Edwards, noting that the NAACP is a non-partisan organization.

"We have members who are Republicans and members who are Democrats," he said. "It doesn't matter if you're Black, white, Hispanic, blue, or purple, any voter on this day has the opportunity to vote and there are no barriers."

The NAACP volunteers helped voters solve Election Day problems, like the voter who walked into a polling place in Olney not knowing where his actual polling place was. NAACP volunteers looked up the information for him and told him where to go to cast his ballot.

Not knowing a polling location is the type of issue that could cost someone their vote. We saw it almost happen in Mt. Airy, where changing locations caused confusion.

"People have been a little discombobulated in reference to where to vote," said Philadelphia City Councilmember at-large Derek Green, who was also running for re-election as a committeeperson in Mt. Airy.

As he was visiting polling locations, Edwards also took several calls from NAACP volunteers at other locations. They shared the experiences of voters who were concerned about some of the things they encountered at the polls.

It created a very busy day for Edwards, but he didn't mind as long as his work would ensure that people who wanted to vote had the opportunity to do so.

"When you walk into your polling place and you take a look around. This is what democracy looks like," he said.

THE NAACP urges any voter who experiences problems with this election or any election to document the problem and then reach out to the corresponding city or county commissioner's office and the NAACP.