An LAist reader caught some disturbing signage while videoing her vote today at The Aroma of Jesus Mission Church on Pico:
the church had put up the sign weeks ago and had lots of literature "left around"...not sure if they should host polls again!After lodging complaints, a "very nice" poll volunteer removed the signs.
If you see anything bizarre, illegal, or otherwise noteworthy let us know. If any issues at a polling station require urgent attention, call 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) or send a text message starting with #votereport and #EPCA to 66937.
Photo by Evonne shared via Creative Commons license.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
Yeah, but the church is called "The Aroma of Jesus"? Seriously?
...and it smells gooood...
Smells like Jesus in here. Open a window.
Whats wrong with Korean's? So ANNOYING!
Vote 'No' on Korean churches. Thanks.
I know there are prohibitions against any kind of political signage within a certain distance from polling places, but how do bumper stickers fit into that rule? I noticed one today at my polling place and was just curious.
The Yes on 8 people hit my polling place, too - and the entire front of my apartment building and the front of the neighbor's house, too.
The pollworkers (and the neighborhood residents) had the signs in the garbage before the polls opened.
Real mature, whoever that was.. real mature.
jvitter, I think it's no political signage or electioneering with in 50 or 100 feet of a polling place (I think it's 100). This doesn't include bumper stickers but does include signs, buttons, caps, etc...
The video at Qik shows it exactly as the church left it, the poster has been up for weeks. When the volunteer went to take it down, he came back through and found literature around the church that had not been noticed.
Thankfully I went to vote early at 7:30! I called a number recommended to me from a friend on Twitter and they said that filing a formal report is not necessary unless the polling place refuses to take down the materials. Ask them nicely first, they are volunteers and likely do not know what you have noticed as an "irregularity".
I hope we get to vote in a new location next time, voting in a storefront church feels weird to me.
voted yes on prop 8 white the koreans
How about this, let's not make churches voting locations from now on. Seriously, I feel there needs to be a real separation of church and state.
Electioneering within 100 feet of the poll entrance, as I remember, is in direct violation of the Voter Rights Act of 1964. The state of California has it's own laws regarding electioneering and as I remember they are even stricter.
"Yeah, but the church is called "The Aroma of Jesus"? Seriously?"
I'm going to start a chuch and name it "Beer Farts of Jesus"!
I talked to someone who had the exact experience at her polling place, which was also a church. There were Yes on Prop 8 pamphlets on the voter sign-in table.
What happened at that precinct is not just wrong, it's illegal. California Elections Code 18370 states that no one may attempt to influence voters within 100 feet of a polling place entrance.
Signs should be posted by the pollworkers 100 feet away from the entrance of the polling place... that's approximately 35 steps.
To answer jvilter's question, ANYTHING construed as a message which is political in nature is not allowed. T-shirts, pins, hats, people carrying signs, people carrying various published endorsement lists, bumper stickers on cars, signs on private property in a yard or window... If it's within 100 feet of the entrance of the polling place, go tell (don't ask, TELL*) the Precinct Inspector to take the influential material(s) down, or make a good faith effort to cover it up. In the case of the bumper sticker on the car, The Inspector can try to ask the owner of the vehicle to either move the vehicle outside the boundary, or cover the sticker in some way. If the owner can't be found, the Inspector has the authority to do something like tape a blank piece of paper over the the sticker in a non-damaging way.
If the Inspector will not cooperate, call your local Department Of Elections immediately. They will send someone out to investigate and take corrective action if necessary. REMEMBER, as a citizen of this country, this is YOUR voice in how you want things run. If someone or some group is messing with that in a way that is free from influence, it's your right and civic duty to speak up.
*The reason I say to TELL the polling place worker, instead of ask, is that they should know better, ESPECIALLY the Inspector. EVERY person working the polls attends a training class, part of which addresses electioneering.
Just a quick addition... amoration DOES have a point... Average, everyday citizens volunteer to do their civic duty as pollworkers, and it is a VERY long day for them, so yes, please treat them nicely. Ask that they investigate and take corrective action if necessary. If you ask a clerk, and they're not willing, or look a little lost as to what to do, ask to speak to the person in charge. If that person cannot be located, or if the person in charge is not being cooperative in taking corrective action, if necessary, then it's time to call the department of elections. I can't vouch for polling places in districts outside of San Francisco, but SF polling places post a Voter Bill of Rights (CEC 14105).
Aditionally, if there's campaign staff or volunteers who are violating the law & conducting electioneering activities within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling place, call the Department of Elections & let them know, so the campaign's management can be contacted. You can ask the Precinct Inspector to ask those staff members or volunteers to relocate. Also, nobody should be talking about candidates, initiatives, propositions, or any other political topics within the 100 foot boundary.
Finally, as to the issue of interviews about a voter's choices (exit polling)... those must take place beyond 25 feet of the entrance to the polling place. As a polling place Inspector, I would ask persons conducting such activity to keep that interview between the two people.