Party affiliation of poll workers across the city today isbalanced, election officials said, and the Republican mayoralcandidate is keeping an eye on election happenings.

Brookhaven Election Commissioner Bonita Bullock said severalelection-related questions from GOP mayoral candidate John Robertswere answered by Secretary of State attorney Reese PartridgeMonday, and the election commission is documenting its activitiestoday.

Citing her discussion with Partridge, Bullock said there issupposed to be an equal number of Republican and Democratic pollworkers for today’s election. She said candidates are not to haveany input in poll worker selection, and a poll worker’s race isalso not a factor.

With five poll worker at each ward, Bullock said it is difficultto have the same number of Republicans and Democrats. However,there is balance on a city-wide basis.

“It evens out as far as the six polling places,” she said. “It’sbalancing out.”

Regarding Roberts’ concerns about some absentee votingactivities, Bullock described the candidate’s statements as”hearsay” and was unable to get a clear answer from state electionofficials.

Roberts has alleged some irregularities involving mailedabsentee ballots and some that may not have been turned in. Thecandidate said today he wanted a fair election and was keeping aneye on today’s activities.

“I’m reserving judgment on everything until I see how theelection goes,” Roberts said. “I don’t know what may transpiretoday.”

Roberts was planning to have poll watchers and observers atvoting places today.

Regarding observers’ activities, Bullock said they may watchvote tabulation and stop counting to ask for a closer look at aballot. However, she said observers must not interfere withvote-counting efforts.

During a tour of voting places this morning, Bullock said somecandidate signs and campaigners were too close and had to be movedaway from polling places.

“They have to be 150 feet away,” Bullock said.