ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — It’s a bi-partisan concern: ensuring the integrity of elections and that those who safeguard the process are indeed legitimate.

But not just anyone can show up and be a poll watcher. 

Each state, Florida included, has specific sets of rules which govern what designated poll watchers can and cannot do.

“If any poll watcher on Election Day should not follow the rules, like trying to talk to the voter or interfere in the election process, the poll clerks will notify us here," said Bill Cowles, who serves as Orange County Supervisor of Elections.

According to Cowles, the role of the poll watcher is to observe the process. Each candidate and party tells their poll watchers what they want them to specifically watch for.

It was a job even more imperative in the past, when poll workers had paper books to check in voters. Now, with electronic poll books, candidates and political parties know, in almost real time, who has checked in, Cowles said.

Florida law stipulates parties and candidates turn in lists of volunteers ahead of time; today was the deadline for lists of poll watchers to monitor early voting. The deadline to submit lists of poll watchers for Election Day is October 20.

But, there are other rules.

Volunteers must be registered voters in that county, but cannot be candidates themselves, nor law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, only one person from each list can be in the room to observe, wearing a badge — but no political paraphernalia.

“When we’ve heard stories of people being sent down to Florida to be poll watchers, they have to be registered here in the county," Cowles said. “I think the thing that’s most frustrating for any elections administrator is the amount of time we have to spend debunking misinformation that is shared."

“We make sure that people who are voting have access to the polls," said Charles Hart, Orange County Republican Party Chair. ​“We’re making sure when we go, our Republican voters aren’t being rejected for some silly, crazy reason.”

The lifelong Republican said that while he missed a recent chance to attend the RNC — the pandemic prompted big changes in attendance — he's gearing up for another volunteer job he's done many times over.

“I’ve been a poll watcher more times than I can count. The idea behind poll watching is that it’s a vital part of the process," he said. “I hope for a clean, honest election.”

But it's not just a Republican concern said Orange County Democratic Party Chair Wes Hodge.

“We’re concerned with a lot of things going on, especially with this election," Hodge said. "With all the talk about 'guarding the vote' and the call for Trump armies to be at voting locations, that’s concerning.

"You know, if there’s any type of voter intimidation or if we see someone trying to interfere with the process, we will report it up the chain."

Hodge said that the party asked for volunteers to be poll watchers for early voting and Election Day and amassed 300 in Orange County alone.

“This is the foundation of our country, the foundation of our democracy. We will not let anybody interfere with it," he said.

Cowles said that he's confident the election will be safe and secure; having such specific rules around poll watchers in place helps to maintain order. 

He doesn't mind clarifying any confusion voters might have. After all, it's a presidential election year and that especially piques interest.

“We’re excited people are engaged, but we also know a presidential election is always our largest voter turnout," he said, adding of poll watchers, “It’s probably more common in the high-ticket, aggressive contests such as we’ll see with this presidential election.”