Electioneering Is Still Against the Rules

[daleduke17]

http://www.khou.com/news/Obama-T-shi...105478623.html

Even if you're wearing an Obama shirt. The election judges weren't denying you the right to vote. You were denying you the right to vote by breaking the (well established) rules. Want to vote? Put a different damn shirt on or turn it inside out.

How long until the NAACP or Rainbow Push butt their noses into this? "OMG, black folk turned away! RACISM!!"

I had to be real careful in driving my car when I went to vote when my dad was running for Twp. Road Commissioner. I had one of his signs in my car window. I had to park about a block away from the polling place to be within the rules. Even if I was going into the post office down the block that day.

[HYHYBT]

I'd say it's borderline: after all, as she said, he's not even up for reelection this year. Still, she should have just turned it inside out and gone on with voting.

Edit to add: what precisely *is* the dividing line, anyway, and how subjective is it? If you're going to say "well, he's a democrat, so stating that he is, in fact, president is electioneering even though he's not on the ballot," then it's not much of a stretch to ban plain blue shirts based on that color's association with the same party.

[daleduke17]

I'd say it's borderline: after all, as she said, he's not even up for reelection this year. Still, she should have just turned it inside out and gone on with voting.

Edit to add: what precisely *is* the dividing line, anyway, and how subjective is it? If you're going to say "well, he's a democrat, so stating that he is, in fact, president is electioneering even though he's not on the ballot," then it's not much of a stretch to ban plain blue shirts based on that color's association with the same party.

Obama is the biggest name in the Democratic party right now. Just having his picture on something can (unfortunately) draw a lot of attention and make the other Democrat names stand out.

So, really, can Fiesta Foods endorse a candidate while having a polling place in their store (as is the case in the original article)?

[Andara Bledin]

I'm on the side of the polling place in this.

It's not like she's the only one that's been turned away for inappropriate display.

^-.-^

[wraiths_crono]

I am trying to find the link, but in AZ a lady got turned away from the polls for a tea party shirt and she filed and won a restraint order that allows her to wear political shirts into polling places and attendants can NOT tell her to leave without violating the restraining order.

Its all supposed to be neutral ground when you vote no 'influences' at all.

Edit: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/cri...58185d0a6.html

[Andara Bledin]

The article you linked doesn't say she won, only that she sought an injunction against her polling place.

This article, however, indicates that she won, but only because the election official didn't oppose it, preferring to not waste taxpayer money on it when it is only a preliminary decision pending the real case, which will go up at a later date.

Of course, this means that everybody who thinks this is a shitty decision needs to make themselves nearly-identical anti-Tea Party shirts and wear them to their local polling places (in that county only), with copies of the decision in hand. After all, what's sauce for the goose...

Actually, I'm really impressed by how Owens handled the whole affair. She sounds like a calm, rational individual, and even admits that the rules are a bit nebulous and has resolved to work with lawmakers to get better guidelines for what is and isn't appropriate to avoid this issue in future elections.

^-.-^

[Hyena Dandy]

There's a big fuss over this every year... Electioneering is against the rules, no matter who it is, and who did it. Two years ago I read that it was a big conspiracy by the democrats to keep Republicans from voting... This year its to keep Democrats from voting. But however much respect I have for the NAACP, and there's not much, I doubt even they would take up this cause.

I can see why someone would say that an Obama shirt could be appropriate, and the rules are vague, but still... Stay apolitical when you go to the polling place. Hell, I wear a purple suit when I go, just to make sure I'm not even endorsing with colors.

[Tanasi]

Tuesday the wife, daughter and I early voted. The law here says no politicing within 100 feet of main entrance. At this place the 100 feet covers the whole parking lot. At our regular polling place only a few parking places are within the 100 foot zone. I don't like being bothered when I'm voting or on my way to vote.

[Rageaholic]

I wasn't aware that there were rules like this in place. Sounds excessive, but I can see why they would do it.

[Ipecac Drano]

I've always wondered how effective yard signs really are. I can't see myself (or anybody else) seeing a sign advertising an opposing candidate and thinking, "Maybe I got this wrong? I see more of that guy's signs, so maybe I should vote for him?".

Alright, maybe some people, but not that many.

[Greenday]

Well, at one of the major levels, there are four people running. Two I haven't heard anything about since they don't seem to advertise in any way. For the other two, I see her signs posted everywhere and hear/see ads all the time on tv for her. And she doesn't slander. I'd almost vote for her based on that alone if it wasn't for the fact that she's pro-life and ant-gay marriage.

[BlaqueKatt]

and another example(well two in the article)

WWE Shirts Not Allowed In Polling Places

They mention that "Terminator" stuff wasn't allowed in California polling places when Arnold Schwarzenegger was on the ballot.

[HYHYBT]

On yard signs: to me, they're helpful in at least two ways: getting a name out there so people will recognize it when they see the ballot (especially for primaries or other races with more than two options) is the more obvious one... but if you know the person with the sign, that helps. If I know that I mostly agree with Lydia, and she has a sign out supporting Thomas Micha, whom I know nothing else about, then unless further information comes along to change my mind I'll probably vote for him. On the other hand, if Lydia and I are polar opposites politically, chances are I'll vote for someone else.

(As it happens, Thomas, Lydia, and Micha are cats, so I give their political views very little weight.)

[Ipecac Drano]

(As it happens, Thomas, Lydia, and Micha are cats, so I give their political views very little weight.)

I dunno. In some ways, I wish cats would rule the world.

[Rapscallion]

I dunno. In some ways, I wish cats would rule the world.

I could tell you that they already do, but then they'd have to kill me.

Rapscallion