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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Newspaper predicts confusion at Montco polls

For the past 15 years, Montgomery County has followed a policy of not allowing passive electioneering at its polling sites. That meant voters couldn't wear hats, T-shirts or buttons advocating a candidate when they entered a polling site.

That same policy was endorsed last month by the Board of Commissioners, which also serve as the Board of Elections. The current commissioeners are Republican Bruce Castor Jr., Democrat Joe Hoeffel and Republican turncoat Jim Matthews, who always votes with Hoeffel.

After the board agreed not to change the policy, Hoeffel, a professional politician and Obama supporter, was squeezed by the Obama Campaign to change the policy. His lapdog, Jim Matthews, went along with it and now the county commissioners will allow people to wear T-shirts or sweatshirts with Obama plastered on them. However, voters still can't wear hats or buttons with Obama logos on them.

Confusing? Makes about as much sense as Obama's tax policies.

The flip-flop at the request of the Obama Campaign shows how partisan Hoeffel is and how spineless Matthews is. It will also create mass confusion at the polls in what is expected to be a huge turnout on Nov. 4.

It didn't have to happen if the county had chosen to enforce its 15-year-old policy.

The Hoeffel-Matthews decry also goes against the advice of Montgomery County Voter Services Director Joseph R. Passarella.

Passarella told the commissioners he found nothing confusing about a total ban on campaign messages among voters at the polls. He had earlier told the commissioners, "It's pretty clear, under the state Election Code, that no electioneering is permitted in the polling place. "There really is no gray area here," Passarella said.

Read more in an editorial in The Mercury.

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