§ 417Appointment of Watchers

(a) Each candidate for nomination or election at any
election shall be entitled to appoint two watchers for each
election district in which such candidate is voted for. Each
political party and each political body which has nominated
candidates in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall
be entitled to appoint three watchers at any general, municipal
or special election for each election district in which the
candidates of such party or political body are to be voted for.
Such watchers shall serve without expense to the county.
   (b) Each watcher so appointed must be a qualified registered
elector of the county in which the election district for which
the watcher was appointed is located. Each watcher so appointed
shall be authorized to serve in the election district for which
the watcher was appointed and, when the watcher is not serving
in the election district for which the watcher was appointed,
in any other election district in the county in which the
watcher is a qualified registered elector: Provided, That only
one watcher for each candidate at primaries, or for each party
or political body at general, municipal or special elections,
shall be present in the polling place at any one time from the
time that the election officers meet prior to the opening of
the polls under section 1208 until the time that the counting
of votes is complete and the district register and voting check
list is locked and sealed, and all watchers in the room shall
remain outside the enclosed space. It shall not be a requirement
that a watcher be a resident of the election district for which
the watcher is appointed. After the close of the polls and while
the ballots are being counted or voting machine canvassed, all
the watchers shall be permitted to be in the polling place
outside the enclosed space. Each watcher shall be provided with
a certificate from the county board of elections, stating his
name and the name of the candidate, party or political body he
represents. Watchers shall be required to show their
certificates when requested to do so. Watchers allowed in the

polling place under the provisions of this act, shall be
permitted to keep a list of voters and shall be entitled to
challenge any person making application to vote and to require
proof of his qualifications, as provided by this act. During
those intervals when voters are not present in the polling place
either voting or waiting to vote, the judge of elections shall
permit watchers, upon request, to inspect the voting check list
and either of the two numbered lists of voters maintained by
the county board: Provided, That the watcher shall not mark
upon or alter these official election records. The judge of
elections shall supervise or delegate the inspection of any
requested documents.
   (c) No candidate or committee of a political party or of a
political body, nor any other person or persons shall pay to
any watcher compensation in excess of one hundred twenty
($120.00) dollars per diem.
   (d) A watcher whose watcher's certificate is destroyed or
lost on election day may appear before the court of common pleas
under section 1206 and, after swearing under oath or affirmation
that the watcher's certificate was destroyed or lost, may
immediately receive a replacement watcher's certificate issued
by the court.
   (417 amended Oct. 8, 2004, P.L.807, No.97)
                           ARTICLE V
            Election Districts and Polling Places
         (Hdg. amended Nov. 24, 1999, P.L.543, No.51)