PA county Sheriff team paid me a visit at the local polling place over my flyers...

Yep. I do a lot of political work in my mid-sized town. Mostly to block the 5-term mayor from continuing his career. I do this by RTKL requests, speaking at meetings, etc. I have a grudge over some actions that he took to empower the crappy business and scumbags in my vicinity, after I complained a few years ago about them. No surprise, the business places themselves work w/o permits, same for the bar the mayor lives at....al infinitum. I ended up in jail for a few weeks over a fake allegation, so I am kind of pissed. Now the guy wants to be judge, so I call him out on his ethical record.

Anyway, I do a lot of graphics, memes and stuff. Facebook is an awesome resource because of the targeted ads, they cost peanuts. I'm pretty good at it:

I also usurped the Simpson's Mayor Quimby character, he literally looks just like the mayor-to-be-judge. I had a simpler flyer today, Quimby with No! next to this candidate's name. It harks back to another No! campaign someone did against him a few years ago. So, I went out expecting only light skirmishes. I hit a few polls, and socialized with everyone there, the poll watchers, some of which were council members et al. Everyone had flyers which contained the (paid for by....whomever) except me. That's because I'm a private person, and not subject to election law in regards to financial accounts.

I certainly have the right to hand out flyers right next to other citizens, committees etc. However, a fully armed sheriff team rolled up as I was chatting up everyone, including people I consider friends to a small degree. The sheriff got me aside, I was compliant wanting to avoid any unnecessary probs. These guys told me I cannot hand out my flyers because they lacked the financial endorsement on them. Problem being a few things:

I'm not saying who to vote for, rather who not to vote for. The citizen might just go home and not vote at that time, how does election code apply there?

I'm also a private person, my efforts don't need accountability and financial breakdown, I could sketch out a note on paper. Maybe make it a riddle or a maze...? Ever heard of Thomas Payne?

I think the code says something like distributing material "about the candidate", well. mine was PURE OPINION!

Anyway, the other candidate who I like is doing well....I'll know more later tonight. She's a ADA with State Police support. Her mom treats me like gold, but the candidate only has limited private contact with me. It hurts a little, but for the best...we have come so far now. It's a perfect storm of me, her and my old friend running separate but parallel political movement. It's just to say that....I'm legit. I have 950 page followers in a town of 5000 homes, well over 100k views of my page full of bogus town paperwork I unearthed and pics of their friend's scumbag business....as well as my weaponized cartoon memes!

What do you think of that, being targeted by armed goons who supposedly have no law enforcement power, visiting a poll on election day to single out one person? State Constables have the authority over polls, not sheriff. I'm going to look into it more. I bet they were surprised how nice of a guy I am and not the hardened criminal they were told in advance. I bet the Constables kicked it up to them based on my bogus rep. I tried to educate the Sheriff and act respectable....lay some doubt. So, I got a "warning" after I agreed my day was done. Even the opposing people there said...wth? I could have pushed harder, but I have many an issues ahead....

I am pretty sure that you are not allowed to hand out flyers at Polling places. Private citizen or Candidate, after all they are private citizens until elected. Those laws are in place to protect polling areas which are already congested enough, the last thing I want is someone standing between me and voting. It is also to protect people from intimidation, not that you were but this why these electioneering laws are in place, I think in my state its 300 feet within a public polling place, no election shenanigans.

It depends on the State.

Put me in jail on trumped up charges.

I would do more than a colorful flyer...

a reply to: FlyingFox

File a complaint with the state Attorney Generals office.

To be clear, I was standing with the OTHER people handing out their flyers.

a reply to: FlyingFox

www.dos.pa.gov...

ú Only precinct election officials, clerks, machine
inspectors, watchers, no more than 10 persons
in the process of voting, persons lawfully giving
assistance to voters, and police officers in the act
of voting or who have been called to the polling
place to preserve the peace, are allowed inside or
within 10 feet of the polling place while voting is
in progress. Everyone else, including individuals
handing out campaign literature, must remain at
least 10 feet away.

I think we lack enough information to say whether you are in the wrong or not. You make it sound like you were physically at the polling place which, if true, means you were in the wrong. The county could make the argument that part of the "Peace" involves America's most sanctified tradition: the orderly process of voting and as such deputies were within the line of duty to point out your violation of state polling law.

did you check the laws about handing out flyers at polling places before you did it?

maybe they are right about what they said.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: FlyingFox

www.dos.pa.gov...

ú Only precinct election officials, clerks, machine
inspectors, watchers, no more than 10 persons
in the process of voting, persons lawfully giving
assistance to voters, and police officers in the act
of voting or who have been called to the polling
place to preserve the peace, are allowed inside or
within 10 feet of the polling place while voting is
in progress. Everyone else, including individuals
handing out campaign literature, must remain at
least 10 feet away.

I think we lack enough information to say whether you are in the wrong or not. You make it sound like you were physically at the polling place which, if true, means you were in the wrong. The county could make the argument that part of the "Peace" involves America's most sanctified tradition: the orderly process of voting and as such deputies were within the line of duty to point out your violation of state polling law.

This is a conspiracy website. Did you seriously just use that as your reason for posting?

Every thread posted today lacks even basic information like EVIDENCE. Here a story comes from a horses mouth...and you speak as if the majority is behind you? Bruuuhhhh.

a reply to: SR1TX

I linked and cited the published PA law regarding polling places... that's kinda, sorta, somewhat, a wee smidgen more concrete than "Sos then I says to the cop, I says 'Hey, you cop over there...' and cop says..." story written essentially anonymously on an internet forum. I'm not saying the OP is a liar, I simply stated that there are circumstances by which his actions, as described, could run afoul of PA polling place laws. Question everything or you'll fall for anything, friend.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: SR1TX

I linked and cited the published PA law regarding polling places... that's kinda, sorta, somewhat, a wee smidgen more concrete than "Sos then I says to the cop, I says 'Hey, you cop over there...' and cop says..." story written essentially anonymously on an internet forum. I'm not saying the OP is a liar, I simply stated that there are circumstances by which his actions, as described, could run afoul of PA polling place laws. Question everything or you'll fall for anything, friend.

There was no question on your part just the determination based on what he initially said. My problem is not you chiming in about the law about it. It's your lack of empathy for finding out the truth, captain...

The thing that caught my eye here is that the Sheriff claimed your flyers weren't compliant with your state's election reg's because you didn't have your funding source properly displayed on them.

I would have asked the officer to cite the state statute to back up that charge. That sounds like Horses__t to me.

Are you telling me that in your state, if I get out my crayons and scratch out a political flyer all on my own, I need to disclose on the flyer who paid for it?

If it was me I would have my lawyer call the Secretary of State's office faster than Bill Clinton's wife goes cross-eyed!

originally posted by: SR1TX
It's your lack of empathy for finding out the truth, captain...

Welcome to ATS. I don't do empathy... you'd have come to that revelation holistically on your own as you encounter more of my posts.

"I think we lack enough information to say whether you are in the wrong or not."
was a passive-aggressive way of saying "Hey, tell us more, like how close to the polling place were you when this happened?"

a reply to: SBMcG

well if that`s all it was then take out another crayon and scawl at the bottom:

Financed by me ( insert your name here)

problem solved, hell you could even do that at the polling place to every flyer before you hand it out.

Again, I was with the others handing out flyers. This was outside the poll, which I didn't specify.

The contention of the Sheriff was that my flyers were not compliant, due to no notation of the sponsor.

I say that no election rules calling for a private person to disclose this, just the candidates.

It seems like a constitutional issue, that's what I anticipated commented on.

If someone can find any law that supports the Sheriff's position, let me know.

a reply to: FlyingFox

I am posting from my phone and so quoting isn't easy. That said, it would seem to run afoul of federal FEC rules seen herewww.fec.gov...
Please read the section on when a disclaimer is required, and notice "independent expenditures" are subject to the rule. What you're describing would be classified as an independent expenditure. Also note that the rule applies to any material for public consumption which endorses the election OR DEFEAT of any specific candidate or (presumably) initiative. I don't think you'd win this case, man.

How far were you from the polling place? And what is the local ordinance and state laws in regards to such? The deputy is simply enforcing laws on the books . . . if you don't like those, then get them changed.

I appreciate you looking into it but that's for federal elections

originally posted by: FlyingFox

I appreciate you looking into it but that's for federal elections

The Federal Election Commission has jurisdiction over all election finance laws, here is the relevant passage in regards your situation:

Messages Not Authorized by a Candidate

On a public communication that is not authorized by a candidate or his/her campaign committee, the disclaimer notice must identify who paid for the message, state that it was not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee and list the permanent street address, telephone number or World Wide Web address of the person who paid for the communication.  11 CFR 110.11(b)(3).
Example:  "Paid for by the QRS Committee (www.QRScommittee.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee."

a reply to: FlyingFox

Wasn't it different because the others we're not passing out THEIR flyers... but for someone else? Whereas you werent... it was your PERSONAL agenda... Where theirs was not.....