Judge denies restraining order barring political garb in the booth (PA)

[maddezmom]

Source: Montgomery Newspapers

Judge denies restraining order barring political garb in the booth
By:Mike Morsch, Executive editor
10/30/2008
Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Calvin Drayer declined at this point to grant county Republicans' request for a temporary restraining order Wednesday barring voters from wearing political T-shirts, hats and campaign buttons inside polling places on Election Day, Nov. 4.

Judge Drayer is taking the matter under advisement because he wanted to look at the opinion of the solicitor of the county election board, Joseph Bresnan, and to await a Commonwealth Court judge's decision on a lawsuit brought by two Pittsburgh-area elections officials that asks the court to force each of the state's 67 counties to ban what is known as "passive electioneering."

"What's happening is that Republicans are trying to intimidate voters and suppress the vote and this is one example of it," said county Commissioner Joseph Hoeffel III in an interview Wednesday at the Norristown campaign headquarters of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president. "They're trying to cause confusion and get it out in the media that you might not be able to vote based on what you're wearing. It's clear they are trying to intimidate voters, particularly new voters."
Not so, said Montgomery County Republican Chairman Robert Kerns.

"The chairman of the election board for some reason decided to change his mind ," said Kerns. "Was it pure politics? I think it was. Mr. Hoeffel is playing politics here. If I was betting man, it was because some of the members of the Obama camp may have complained to him. It seems to me that Mr. Hoeffel should answer the question as to why he changed his mind."



Read more: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20183447&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=187831&rfi=6

[ailsagirl]

1. That title takes some figuring out :)

[jhrobbins]

3. I always have trouble with these double and triple negatives.

[ailsagirl]

6. me too :)

[madhawk]

2. mind

first you have to have a "MIND"
hawk

[formercia]

4. It's still illegal in Maine

No political advertising allowed in or around polls. No video, cameras, recording devices or cell phones can be used inside the polls.

If I missed something, jump in and correct me, please.

[Maeve]

5. Passive electioneering is illegal in Ohio, too

Leave the buttons and t-shirts at home or under wraps until after you get your "I voted" sticker