Shahin Shaikh
Department of Elections
San Francisco, CA


Dear Shahin:
I attended the peace rally at the Civic Center yesterday, October 26, 2002. While I was there, I went to the Green Party booth and was informed that I could vote that day at City Hall. I was given a handbill with the information, but it only said the West Side entrance and did not give the street name.
I walked up through the crowd to the steps of City Hall and asked politely to two police officers where I needed to go to vote. Both police officers told me, "That is a lie. You can't vote today." I showed them the handbill and asked them where the West Side entrance was. They told me that I could not enter through those doors and that I could not vote and repeated "whoever told you that is a liar, you cannot vote". I told them I had heard it announced from the stage and they repeated again, "That is a lie. You can't vote today, you have to wait for the first Tuesday of November."
I walked back to the Green Party booth where I was given the handbill and asked them why they were handing out the handbills and why people were announcing it on the stage if it was a lie and was it really a lie.
They became very concerned and one of the booth workers walked with me back to the steps of City Hall. This time we spoke to two different police officers and they informed me that I could indeed vote and where the West Side entrance was.
I thanked the booth worker and proceeded to the Grove Street entrance and was able to vote. I did not get names or badge numbers of the officers, but was prepared to do so, if I had been turned down the second time.
Because of the size and density of the crowd (estimates up to 120,000), it took me quite a bit of time to travel back and forth through it in order to get my questions answered. I am glad I stuck to it to get the right answer and have the opportunity to vote. However, I am very dismayed and upset that I could have voted much sooner had the policemen been informed and polite.
Also, for your information, I have contacted the office of Citizen Complaints against Police Officers in San Francisco and gave them the exact same information as in this letter.

Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Sxxxx Bxxxxx
San Francisco Registered Green Party Voter