OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- A Kansas woman said she was ticketed for having political bumper stickers on her car. On Wednesday, Sara Keiser was cited in connection with campaigning illegally because she parked her car at Metcalf South Mall, which is a polling place during elections.
The law states that no one can campaign within 250 feet of a polling place. Keiser said she wasn't at the mall to vote or to campaign. She was there to go to work. "I work here. My office is upstairs. I'm here every single day," Keiser said. She said someone going to the mall to vote noticed her car parked out front and called police.
"They contacted all kinds of people in Kansas government about what to do. Apparently at one point, they were thinking about towing my car," Keiser said. The car wasn't towed, but an officer wrote her a ticket. "The officer seemed as confused as I did and a little uncomfortable," she said. "(The ticket) stated that my car is a campaign vehicle, which obviously took me aback."
She said she prefers to park close to the front doors of the mall, but now she must park around the corner and out of sight of the polling place. Keiser didn't receive a monetary fine, but she must report to court in November.
6 comments:
I can tell you another such incident. During an election a few years ago, I was in line waiting to vote. A women in front of me had a campaign brochure in her back pocket touting one candidate or the other.
After voting I mentioned this to a Sherrif's deputy. He indicated it was up to the polling officials to determine what to do. By that time the women had voted and moved on.
Too bad the women in Overland Park got the ticket. That seems to be the price we pay for our liberties.
Also too bad that the powers to be aren't as judicious in their power-wielding.
It may have been the only way a citizen who feels disenfranchized at the national level can exert come control over the process. Or, she might just have been having a bad day and decided to share it.
btw, I thought that type of rule only was in effect during the time the polls were open. I guess I need to go back to school and learn the rules.
How ridiculous. This election is certainly going to be interesting. I had a recorded message from the President himself left on my answering machine. The Republicans are out in full force. And I live in Idaho, probably the reddest state there is. Pretty sad.
why would they put a poll in a mall, I wonder?
But I really wanted to come by and remind you to vote tomorrow! :)
You can vote today if you go here. lol
That's pretty absurd, but i know they take all that stuff so seriously. Tensions are high, it seems.
thx everyone for your comments on this absurd incident.
Now, if you haven't already, please go VOTE!
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