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Christmas miracle stories wanted
Friday, November 21, 2008 - 10:03am

Access to polls is needed

October 10, 2008 - 11:04am — Journal Staff

Filed under:

Editorials

Minnesotan’s passion for the election process most often translates into high voter turnout.
We should be equally as passionate about access to polling places by members of the media.
Several news organizations last week sued the state of Minnesota in an effort block enforcement of a new law restricting access to polling places. The law, approved by the Legislature in April, bans anyone but voters and election officials from standing within 100 feet of a polling place. It means that reporters cannot talk to people on sidewalks or parking lots. The original law limited exit polling to 100 feet beyond the actual voting spot in a building.
The law appears intended to keep media away from polling places, but could have some unintentional impacts.
Does that law also ban voters from bringing their children, who are not voters, to a polling place? On its face, the law appears to say children standing with their parents in the voting booth would be in violation. Seems a shame not teach our children about the privileges and responsibilities of taking part in the election process by allowing them to see the process at a young age. And, it should be noted that reporters are also voters. Will reporters who are simply voting and not covering the process be banned as well?
What is clear is that the law violates the First Amendment rights of news organizations by interfering with their ability to gather information about the political process. Election news coverage should include information about how and why people voted the way they did, whether voters had difficulties in the voting process, and to explore social and political trends.
By keeping reporters 100 feet away from the building where people vote will impact the accuracy and reliability of those reports.
This law should be struck down because it limits access to people’s opinions about an election. Any time government attempts to limit media’s access to such information should be suspect.

Interesting read of some...

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Interesting read of some writer’s guild of overpaid media lawyer’s talking points trying to get ma and pa to think their rights are being squeegeed out with the hog manure. I’m thinking that as a tax paying hard working middleclass American born citizen I personally take offense to the media (and in this case this staff editorial) from using “freedom of the press” as the rally cry of outrage in what is really just an attempt to provide basic voter rights for all proud citizens of this country. I would like to put just a bit of thought to your assertion this is any attempt at denying the media controlled access throughout the polling process. The issue is does the voter have the right to expect they not be part of what has become an absolute circus of gaffs, hype and one-upmanship in a last man standing media frenzy? I do not believe the intent of the law is to prevent parents from sharing the great honor of their vote with their children. Good dissection of legal fluff …”the law appears to say…”ramble on about a shame jonny will never know about privilege or responsibility… Please, digging a little deep aren’t you? I love that part about reporters being voters too. I would really be concerned that those hard working poll workers will prevent you from casting your vote or even announcing it over your own live election night headquarters if that is what you want to do. I hope the clear violation of First Amendment Rights you speak of are blazoned in hunter orange in some manifesto you forgot to add to your piece because those straws you are grasping sound like a coyote in the middle of a frozen peat bog after a timber wolf has taken a chunk out of his backside. Coyote isn’t gonna make it. Media are their own worst enemy. Ask the stupid questions, report the stupid answers and don’t forget to show your presses pass at the stadium door in the deciding days of a possible championship run. I am an American citizen and I want you 100 feet away from me as I leave my polling place. If I want to talk to you, I’ll walk over and we can chat. Don't be suspect of me, I am the people. Thank you very much.

Submitted by Delta Blue on October 14, 2008 - 4:09pm.

Various organizations have...

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Various organizations have been "polling" people about this election via telephone, email, snail mail, on the street questioning for over 2 years now.
If they don't have enough "poll results" to form their biased and opinionated speculations by now, give it up.

The last time I checked, the ballot is still SECRET.
Exit polling is political/media harrassment of private citizens and an infringement on voter rights and privacy.

POLLING is the very reason that the last two elections have been chaotic farces and frankly, an embarrassment to the Democratic Process and every American citizen. The way I see it, there shouldn't be a need to regulate a 100 ft. distance from the voting both... it should be outlawed.

Submitted by shades of gray ... on October 15, 2008 - 9:42am.