Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
John Arntz, Director
For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, June 3, 2010 – As San Franciscans prepare to go to the polls on June 8, the Department of Elections is reminding campaigns, voters, and the media that electioneering is not allowed within 100 feet of a polling place.
Electioneering is any visible or audible activity that advocates for or against any candidate or measure on the ballot. This includes signage, clothing, buttons, or materials like pens and brochures that carry messages about items on the ballot.
San Francisco poll workers will post signs in a 100-foot radius around polling places on Election Day, indicating the boundaries of each precinct’s “No Electioneering” zone. According to California elections law, the 100-foot measurement begins at the entrance of the room where voting takes place.
Anyone conducting electioneering activities within these boundaries will be asked to stop. Voters wearing clothing or carrying materials with electioneering messages on them will be asked to remove or cover up these items.
The Department of Elections is also reminding local media and polling organizations of the rules for exit polling and media coverage on Election Day. Exit polling – surveying voters about how they voted – is allowed within 25 feet of polling places. Clearly identified members of the media may enter polling places, but only with the consent of the poll workers and voters present. A voter’s ballot cannot be filmed or photographed at any time.
By promoting awareness of the restrictions on electioneering, the Department of Elections is working to encourage a voting environment free of any sense of persuasion or intimidation. When San Francisco voters visit their polling places on June 8, they will be able to freely express their views with their vote, without the interference of electioneering.
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