2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBoston Globe: Bill Entered Polling Stations...Was A Traffic Issue...Galvin Annoyed at Ad Hoc Rally
People are not happy about Bill Clintons appearance at Mass. polls
By Steve Annear Globe Staff March 02, 2016
Former president Bill Clinton is drawing flak from people who say he spoke to a large crowd too close to a polling place in New Bedford, potentially preventing some residents from voting in Tuesdays presidential primary.
Videos and photos show that Clinton was close to the entrance of the polling place at a building in Buttonwoood Park as he thanked people for voting and for supporting his wife, Hillary, who is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Thank you all for participating. I especially thank those of you who are supporting Hillary, Clinton yelled through a megaphone, as he stood next to New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell.
Clinton spoke for several minutes, with his speech, at times, being interrupted by protesters.
When Clinton finished, Mitchell took over the megaphone and touted how Hillary Clinton had once worked in New Bedford helping children to get into schools.
While stumping for his wife, Bill Clinton entered a polling station at the Holy Name gymnasium in West Roxbury.
New Bedford has played a part in her journey. Lets do out part to get her over the hump now, he said.
Bill Clintons critics fumed and created an online petition calling for the prosecution and arrest of Clinton for allegedly violating state election laws. More than 26,000 people had signed the Change.org petition as of Wednesday morning.
According to Secretary of State William Galvins website, certain activities on Election Day are prohibited within polling locations and within 150 feet of polling places, including the solicitation of votes for or against, or any other form of promotion or opposition of, any person or political party.
The rally outside the New Bedford polling place also sparked outrage from supporters of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders on Reddit.
On a Reddit discussion thread dedicated to the Vermont senators campaign, supporters went as far as examining screen shots of videos of his speech and comparing them with Google maps to determine whether Clinton was 150 feet away from the polling place doors in New Bedford.
Some said it may have kept people from voting, and urged people to contact Galvins office to complain.
Sanders narrowly lost to Hillary Clinton in the state primaries on Super Tuesday.
In a statement, Mitchell said the polling place in Buttonwood Park remained open at all times, and that no orders were given to restrict access at any location.
At no time did former President Clinton enter a polling location in New Bedford, he added.
Clintons appearance in New Bedford came after he had already been criticized earlier in the day for his actions at two polling places in the Boston area.
While stumping for his wife, Clinton entered polling stations at the Holy Name Parish Schools gymnasium in West Roxbury, and the Newton Free Library, in Newton.
The incidents prompted Galvins office to reach out to Hillary Clintons campaign and remind them of the rules barring solicitation of votes near polling places.
He had the right to go into the polling locations, and say Hello to workers who were there. The issue is, you cant go inside and say, Vote for my wife, or Vote for Hillary, Galvin said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Galvin said that in New Bedford, the former president did speak in front of the polling location, but Galvin didnt know how close he was.
Galvin said that his office was annoyed that Clinton addressed hundreds of people during an ad hoc rally near a polling place, after his wifes campaign had already been contacted several times.
snip
Its unusual to have someone outside having a rally, thats for sure, Galvin said. But voting was never interrupted, and voters could always get access to the polls
Galvin said his office is not investigating Clintons conduct, but rather, his office wants to look at ways to make sure that, in the future, candidates' supporters dont cause traffic jams or hinder access to voting locations.
There was a traffic issue, there is no disputing that it should have been organized away from the polls, Galvin said. It definitely made it more difficult for voters to park that I dont dispute but the voting was never disrupted.
Peter Ubertaccio, a political science professor at Stonehill College, said that Clintons staff should have taken much better care to ensure he didnt do anything that was viewed as disruptive. But at this point, he said, its not likely that much can be done.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/03/02/bill-clinton-new-bedford-rally-raises-more-concerns-about-primary-day-violations/pCnoU1awcLGA2E0eERrvoM/story.html?p1=Article_Trending_Most_Viewed
olddots
(10,237 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)roguevalley
(40,656 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)Because laws are different for the rich & powerful.
But he should, and Hillary should have to forfeit her Mass pledged delegates.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Bill continued "after his wifes campaign had already been contacted several times."
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)"Galvin said that his office was annoyed that Clinton addressed hundreds of people during an ad hoc rally near a polling place, after his wifes campaign had already been contacted several times."
I'd be more than "annoyed" after giving multiple warnings.
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)and asserting no laws were violated anyway (divine revelation no doubt!):
But voting was never interrupted, and voters could always get access to the polls
All of which is in direct opposition to eyewitnesses and video evidence.
Corrupt.
Dirty.
Undemocratic.
Unacceptable.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)kstewart33
(6,551 posts)So Bill messed up. Bernie messed up putting logos on his campaign materials of organization that either did not support him or declared support for his opponent. His staff downloaded information files from the DNC that they had no business seeing.
Both campaigns have messed up. It happens. But all this stuff is a molehill, not a mountain.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)at least that's somthing