International Poll Watchers Meet with Polk County

FILE-In this Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, file photo, presidential and vice presidential candidate names are seen on a ballot at the Polk County Election Office, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Des Moines, Iowa. Eventually, the economic recovery will gain strength, whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is in the White House. That's what many economic outlooks project. And the president and the party, occupying the Oval Office will reap the benefits. But first, Obama or Romney, together with Congress, will have to pull back from the fiscal abyss facing the nation at year's end. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

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By Rachel Begle

Story Created: Oct 30, 2012 at 6:33 AM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 30, 2012 at 6:33 AM CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An international organization wants to observe voting on Nov. 6 in Iowa.

Members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe met Monday with Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald. They plan to visit other counties before deciding where to observe.

Fitzgerald says officials aren't obligated to let them watch, but he sees no problem with it.

In Texas, Attorney General Greg Abbott threatened to prosecute group members who approach the polls. Members of the organization include the United States and 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia.

In Iowa, Republican and Democratic party representatives also will watch voters.

Chad Olsen, the chief of staff for Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz, says parties want to ensure nothing goes wrong in the battleground state.

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