A very reliable source sent us this…
The attached photo is of a a truck belonging to a Zervas teacher, who said the Union told her it was OK to park within 80′ of the door to the polls with a “Newton Teachers support Setti Warren” sign. She left it there despite the police asking her to move it.
What else are folks seeing out there? As noted earlier, police moved sign holders from the front of the Hyde Center day, even though they’ve been standing there for years.
Are we seeing a new level of enforcement this year?
During the preliminary David Olson made me move from outside of Hyde, where we always held sign. I guess they changed the distance from where you can hold a sign from 100 feet to 150.
At the library we were moved and told we could not be within 150 feet. The officer was very nice and quite apologetic. No hard feelings, they are just trying to follow the law.
The police should have towed her car. Rules are rules.
During a tough negotiations, teachers put signs in the windows of their cars. It’s a very common strategy. Like it or not, teachers are allowed to wear pins, etc. for candidates and causes inside the school building. I don’t do it, but it’s legit.
On another note, after being out all day at various polling places for the last three elections, I’ve noted that sign holders are being kept a greater distance from the polling places than in past years.
The teacher ignored the police officer? I wonder what she does if her students ignore her? Not high-quality ‘behavior modeling’.
Jane – the issue isn’t whether or not teachers are allowed to have signs in their cars. It’s whether they should be ignoring the laws about how close those signs can be to the polls. Teachers should be setting a good example of following the law, not flouting it.
The sign was in the car, not being held by a person. I saw two other cars do the same thing today – the sign was in a car closer to the polling place than the sign holders were allowed. No one cared whatsoever.
We have no idea what the interaction was between the teacher and the policeman, or what transpired after that interaction.
@Jane: “Like it or not, teachers are allowed to wear pins, etc. for candidates and causes inside the school building.”
Not while the polls are open, if the school building contains a polling place. See the relevant section of the Mass General Laws:
“…no other poster, card, handbill, placard, picture or circular intended to influence the action of the voter shall be posted, exhibited, circulated or distributed in the polling place, in the building where the polling place is located, on the walls thereof, on the premises on which the building stands, or within one hundred and fifty feet of the building entrance door to such polling place.”
A strict reading of that would prevent voters from wearing campaign buttons, or even driving past the polling place with a campaign bumper sticker.
@Joanne: Tow the car? No, the penalty is a $20 fine.
Jane — This is according to the Sec of State website:
Political Signs
Signs intended to influence the action of voters are subject to both statutory and regulatory directives. It is well settled that no person may hold a sign that attempts to influence the voter, or leave such a sign unattended, within 150 feet of a polling location. G. L. c. 54, § 65 (2002 ed.).
Stuff left in your car is not unattended – it’s your stuff.
Signs left on the ground were routinely picked up all day and I support this action, which was why I asked people holding signs for my candidate to take them home after their shift.
Jane — If the next car had a handgun on the dashboard (on school grounds no less), is that attended or unattended? Unions that are bullies and law breakers are old school — or should be.
Folks, I spoke with David Olson, who told me the sign was removed from the car parked at Zervas. End of story.
End of story. Really, guys. As I mentioned, there was no indication as to what the interaction was after the picture was taken. I assume at some point the owners of the other two cars were probably told to remove their signs, but none of the sign holders from any campaign was bothered by them, nor did I see any residents getting into a dither about it.
Hoss -The State of Mass. has passed a law that clearly defines what bullying is and what it isn’t. It’s worth a look.
Jane — You can look for my support on an ongoing basis just because I can’t fathom how educators can do a job under such a depressing funding situation. Residents like me can help the depressing funding situation without any funny stuff.
I think that there is much to be said for having approachable, knowledgeable campaign supporters at polling stations who are available to address voter concerns and questions. I very much felt like this election’s enforcement distanced me from engaging with or being conveniently accessible to voters. I was much more in touch in the past.
These are voting places, not abortion clinics. Over a decade of sign holding, I have yet to see people behaving badly.
What exactly is the law? There’s a big difference between 100 and 150 feet.
KarenN – On the other hand, I really appreciated the distance. I could easily walk the extra 50 feet if I wanted to engage, but I didn’t feel like I was running a gantlet to reach the polling place. In the past there have been times where I’ve found it hard to get to the poll due to all the sign wielders between the sidewalk and the door.