Catching cheaters

Precinct 13 was known as “the cheating precinct.”

The polling place was situated in the basement of a two-flat, and poll watchers were ordered by election judges to remain at the far end, away from the voting booths, near the building’s washing machine. They were told they’d be tossed out if they came any closer.

It was not unusual for two voters to stand in the booth together when voting. And one of the election judges allegedly voted more than once during the day.

In 1973, Frank Giarrizzo, an Independent who trained poll watchers, visited the polling place, following a complaint from a volunteer campaign worker, reported that fraud was rampant, and said that he would have to stay there for the rest of the day to ensure things were done correctly.

Giarrizzo was more knowledgeable about election law than most people and meticulous in its application. This was a paper ballot election and vote counting was tedious. Polling place judges were unable to intimidate him, and he forced them to do everything “by the book.” Precinct 13 was the last to report results that day.

In the next election, the recently elected Republican State’s Attorney sent a Black staffer to the all-White precinct. Everybody stopped talking when he walked in. He pointed to the first election judge and asked her name. Then the second, then the third, and the fourth, and the fifth.

“You’re doing everything correctly here, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” they answered in unison.

 “Good,” he replied. “I’ll be back later to check.”

After he left, they whispered to each other, wondering why he had questioned them. But they didn’t cheat. They were afraid the Black man might come back and do something terrible to them.