And violate state regulations on polling places, which bar electioneering inside a polling place, such as, oh, we don't know, two well known elected officials well known for supporting a particular candidate not just shaking hands outside a polling place but going inside and greeting people and stuff.
First, MassLive reports from West Roxbury's Holy Name School, where candidates and supporters always show up - but usually stay outside:
Clinton walked inside the polling place, escorted by Walsh and West Roxbury Mayor Richie Gormley. He stopped at a bake sale near the entrance and bought a cup of coffee.
When one woman asked for a photo inside the polling place, Clinton said, "As long as we're not violating any election laws," and posed. Clinton waved, saluted and gave thumbs up to voters and volunteers.
Ed note: Gormley is the honorary lord mayor of West Roxbury, not the actual mayor, since West Roxbury's just a neighborhood, not a city.
Adam Reilly points us to elections regulations from the Secretary of State's office:
Within 150 feet of a polling place as defined in 950 CMR 53.03(18)(c), no person shall solicit votes for or against, or otherwise promote or oppose, any person or political party or position on a ballot question, to be voted on at the current election.
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Comments
Since when have the Clintons
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:02pm
Since when have the Clintons been known for NOT breaking the law?
Reportedly, particular polling locations shut down for 3 hours
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 10:15pm
Now, who had data on how voters at those locations would've likely voted?
The data and inferences are available to well-financed campaigns.
petitions to investigate and arrest clinton
By anon
Thu, 03/03/2016 - 7:24pm
https://www.change.org/p/massachusetts-attorney-ge...
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/investig...
god damned
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:05pm
savages
The fence 10 feet from the
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:09pm
The fence 10 feet from the entrance was covered in Hillary banners. None of the 10 police standing around seemed to care. How do I file a complaint?
here
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:13pm
Toll-Free: 1-800-462-VOTE (8683)
617-727-2828
Fax: 617-742-3238
Email: [email protected]
you don't
By Marco
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:15pm
this is America, not a country but a marketplace. This election has been bought and paid for a long time ago. Today they are giving us the illusion of choice, just bend over and accept the monarchy.
Or file your complaint. I'm sure it will get filed in the shredder and no action will be taken against anyone's campaign, but it might make you feel better.
Isn't pretend democracy fun?
Yes
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:58pm
I love life and I love America and while I only bleed red I carry white and blue in my heart and soul
Down with those who would poison and sully the name of this great country as well as the glorious commonwealth in which we reside
Huh?
By erik g
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:59pm
I... what? Who, precisely, has bought it? The orange toupeed canned ham? Or the woman who 80% polling numbers have spent six months plummeting into essentially a coinflip?
Also, you won't find it in Strunk & White, but modern convention when making such contentions is to refer to the nation as "Amerika," or optionally "Amerikka." HTH!
Jeb bought the R nomination
By DPM
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:16pm
Jeb bought the R nomination obviously. That man is unstoppable!
Good point. I wonder if Jeb
By DPM
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:02pm
Good point. I wonder if Jeb will win the general election. What do you think?
OMG - Hillary banners
By roadman
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:18pm
ten feet from the entrance to a polling place. Call out the riot squad.
Better still, get a life.
What a Nasty Comment
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:28pm
The regulations are for a good reason. Sounds to me like the right person has a life.
In the meantime, candidates
By roadman
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:15pm
and PACS can flood the airwaves with their tripe and that's somehow OK. Seems like we've got our priorities wrong here.
Agreed
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:34pm
Free speech sucks
Stop that.
By makeshift_vicinity
Wed, 03/02/2016 - 10:13am
[quote]In the meantime, candidates and PACS can flood the airwaves with their tripe and that's somehow OK. Seems like we've got our priorities wrong here.[/quote]
Insisting that reasonable election laws be upheld is a good thing to do, and you're incorrect (and stupid) for putting people down for doing so here.
It's sad that when pressed, you are now... claiming that everyone who wants the signs to be taken down must not care about Citizens United? No. No, that's not true, and you should know that. Stop making terrible arguments.
heres my opinion!
By Scumquistador
Wed, 03/02/2016 - 10:27am
Citizens United: No Thanks
Why bother having laws if
By #FeelDaBern!
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:31pm
Why bother having laws if they only apply to little people and non machine/establishment supported candidates.
You honestly believe
By roadman
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:36pm
that having Hillary signs ten feet before the polling place entrance will somehow convince people to vote for her, but having those same signs 150 feet before the polling place entrance won't?
There are many things that have to be reformed in our political process. Being zealots about where campaign signs are placed outside the polling place - and I agree there should NEVER be signing inside the polling place - or "OMG, the former President entered a polling place." are, IMO, way way way down on my list of important matters to be corrected.
The law exists to avoid
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:45pm
The law exists to avoid intimidating voters.
This is a commonwealth not some third world sham republic where you vote for the ruling party candidate on the 10 foot tall billboard next to the ballot box.
broken window theory
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:46pm
broken window theory
It is about the sanctity of the polling place
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:59pm
My son was wearing a Bernie shirt this morning when he went to vote before class. He was asked to button up his flannel shirt before entering the polling area.
He thought that this was entirely reasonable.
The space within the polling station is supposed to be "noise free" - meaning that nobody sticks signs in your face, there is no argument over who was given the best spot for their candidates sign, there is no concern that someone is watching that you vote for the "right" person, etc. For any number of practical and historical reasons, there are limits on campaigning around polling places, and these limits are clear.
I don't even wear a campaign
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 5:45pm
I don't even wear a campaign button when I go to vote, and if I did and was subsequently asked to pocket it, that would be just fine.
I'm invariably accosted by someone in the doorway of the polling place shilling for some candidate or other. Today it was people handing out flyers for the upcoming special election to replace Petruccelli. They're easy enough to wave off with a "no thanks, I've made up my mind" but I can see how they might intimidate others, and I always think a little less of candidates who use tactics like this.
If it were just one sign per candidate to remind people of a downticket race or something I doubt anyone would find bother to complain, but using campaign signs like wall paper and accosting every voter right in the doorway is in poor taste at the VERY least. It's like seeing sign-wavers jaywalking or repeatedly mashing crosswalk buttons just to waggle their signs at motorists... oh, I'll recognize that name all right. Recognize it as one I will never, ever vote for.
Actually
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 5:45pm
It's about ethics in video game journalism
Non sequitur
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 5:59pm
And irrelevant non-sequiturs.
simply
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 6:14pm
a reference you didn't get is all
theres nothing wrong with that, not everything i say here is intended for a broad audience, nor do i hold your ignorance against you (:
I understood the reference
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 6:31pm
It was still a non-sequitur.
lets be honest grandma
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 6:37pm
you googled the reference
Nope
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 10:44pm
Teen kids. Hear it all the time. Tired meme is tired.
If it didn't make any difference...
By lbb
Wed, 03/02/2016 - 9:09am
...how come only one candidate was allowed to do it?
Bust out that measuring tape
By ozzie73
Wed, 03/02/2016 - 10:03pm
Because there is no way the fence at Holy Name is 10 feet from the entrance to the polling station. The fence is on the rotary. The entrance to the gym is up the hill and down
Private property
By Oliver
Thu, 03/03/2016 - 9:21pm
Holy Name is private property. Complain to Msgr Carlson at Holy Name Parish or to the Archdiocese Chancery office.
And in case people wonder why that is a polling place.... it is because there are no other buildings in that neighborhood that meed ADA requirements as required for polling purposes.
No stickers were present.
By Matt Frank
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:11pm
No stickers were present. Just being known as a supporter of someone does not mean your meer presence is campaigning. The pictures could be a little iffy but even then if he isn't saying vote for Hillary inside the voting location...
Ayup
By adamg
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:16pm
I actually looked up the state law, and you're right - it just mentions posters and stickers and pamphlets and the like.
However, what Reilly dug up was the Secretary of State's administrative regulations for running polling places and it goes beyond that. Granted, not a legislative act signed into law by a governor, but still a state regulation.
I am familiar with the
By Matt Frank
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:10pm
I am familiar with the guidelines, to the best of my knowledge it does not say a person may not enter a polling place. Bill Clinton is a person who happens to be married to a person running for President. If he was not actively campaigning how does that go against the administrative guidelines.
The line item on observers does not restrict people from entering the premises, it just guarantees specific access to particular people.
The line he pulled out does not say if you are a known supporter of a candidate you are barred from entering.
Keep in mind I am a Bernie supporter but I do think Bill is being unfairly tainted as it is a very common practice.
How long has this law existed?
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:34pm
Although I haven't seen it as much in the past few years, I remember always having to run a gauntlet of people standing outside polling places handing out literature for various candidates. I didn't realize they weren't supposed to be doing it. I never saw anybody do anything about it.
It's been around for a long time
By adamg
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:47pm
And theoretically, if you complain to one of the cops inside, he or she will come out and shoo them away.
In Chelsea until rather
By Matt Frank
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:54pm
In Chelsea until rather recently nobody bothered to mark off the 150ft sections, rather there were Gentlemens agreements about where far away enough until some of the races got very competitive and people began asking for defined boundaries from the City Clerks office (which makes sense.) Although even the agreed upon marks were still a good 75 feet away from the doors. My city is also very aggressive about removing signage from public property.
The law has been around for a long time. I have only been active since the late 90's but the rules was always there. I did notice anytime I campaigned in Boston for other candidates I was taken aback by the "dressing" of the polling places where people just put their signs up all over the place and also by how close people would be to the polls.
In 2003 I was in NH for Kerry where they apparently have (or at least back then) no rules. We all formed a huge mob of people on either side of a thin pathway to the door. I remember asking the election people and the cop "Is this seriously ok? We are right on top of the door" and the response was "as long as there a path it is ok. I found it shocking that people had to go through that to vote.
The mayor was wearing a
By Blurple
Fri, 03/04/2016 - 6:47pm
The mayor was wearing a Hillary sticker. I believe he only took it off once inside the polls.
Fine both candidates and use
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:14pm
Fine both candidates and use that money for something good.
What's your basis for fining Sanders?
By lbb
Wed, 03/02/2016 - 9:10am
The Clinton campaign clearly violated election law.
Reminds me of an old New Yorker cartoon
By roadman
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:15pm
Man sitting on an elephant at the entrance to a polling place. Another man arguing with a cop. The caption reads "And I say he IS electioneering."
Law enforcement aid breaking the law
By Francis Moran
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:19pm
Clinton is guarded by Secret Service, Walsh is guarded by Boston PD. Both men are violating the law with active assistance from both a federal and local law enforcement agency
Mayor gutless
By Foxrox
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:21pm
Surprised he showed his
face after his total fold
on BLS. Folks were
seething to have there
kids labelled racists.
?
By Scumquistador
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:55pm
Is this a poem
slick willie
By bostnkid
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:23pm
I did not campaign for that woman!
Win
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 6:34pm
^^^ win!
West Rox Library Always Has People Campaigning at the Entrance
By anon
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 3:26pm
Except today, but for every general or big local election, there are a lot of people campaigning, holding signs, and even purposely positioning themselves in front of the entrance. It gets really tiresome having to walk through this mess. When I complain, the election people just roll their eyes and say, "Yep, we told 'em to move."
It would be nice to see the police actually enforce the regulations.
The Lydon too..
By Keiko
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 4:53pm
... usually has people standing out too, but not today. There were signs posted outside by the sidewalk though.
Interestingly, the library had paper with the polling place law printed on them posted on the pillars and doors.
funny or rather not-so-funny story. I drove my neighbor with me to the Lydon so she could vote too. When she gave her name and address, the attendant looked her up and said "Democrat" and the other attendant gave her the Democrat ballot.
"Is this the Republican ballot?" neighbor said.
"No. You're registered as a Democrat."
"But I want to vote in the Republican primary."
"You can only vote in the Democratic primary because you're registered as a Democrat."
Neighbor was about to keep arguing but didn't. When I was filling out my ballot, she came up to me and started saying :
"It's not fair...".
"Neighbor," I said, "You can't talk to me while I'm voting."
"But .."
"No! it's illegal."
We finally finish and in the car she says:"I didn't want to vote for anyone on the Democratic ballot but I had to."
"What?" I said. "No one can make you vote."
"The machine wouldn't take my ballot unless I voted for someone. So I just voted for one of the others". (meaning not one of the presidential candidates)
"What? The attendants wouldn't help you put it in the machine? They told you you had to vote for someone?"
"No one told me. I just assumed I had to vote for someone. I didn't want to ask for help. I was afraid I would look foolish."
One guess who of the Republican Presidential nominees she wanted to vote for.
Yeah, today was the only
By chaosjake
Tue, 03/01/2016 - 5:35pm
Yeah, today was the only election I can remember since I moved to my current polling place (about 7 years) when I wasn't met at the door with hordes of people with signs and fliers. For the mayoral final in 2013, I had to literally shove my way into the school's gate to vote. I know you're supposed to tell the cops inside to make them leave, but they're our neighbors, and some are cops.
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