Florida law on exit polling restrictions ruled unconstitutional.

[madfloridian]

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/25/State/Restriction_on_exit_p.shtml

"A federal judge on Tuesday declared unconstitutional a Florida law that prohibits exit polling within 100 feet of a voting place, saying there is no evidence such activity disrupts voting

U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck ordered state officials not to enforce the law as it relates to exit polls in the Nov. 7 election, leaving intact a 100-foot limit on activities such as solicitation, distributing campaign material or peddling.

The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the Associated Press and five television networks who plan to jointly conduct exit polls at about 40 polling places next month.

Secretary of State Sue Cobb's office, which administers elections, fought the lawsuit. But Huck agreed with the plaintiffs' contention that the 2005 law violates the First Amendment's free speech and freedom of the press protections. And he ruled that the state "failed to provide any meaningful evidence that exit polling has any history of leading to voter intimidation, impeding voter access to the polls or encouraging election fraud."

[madfloridian]

1. Kick for importance. Dropped quickly.

I think this is important for exit polling.