Politicking at the Polling Place

Vermont law prohibits politicking within the building containing the polling place. (17 VSA §2508 )

• Campaigning, electioneering or discussion of any item on the ballot is prohibited inside the polling place.
• Exit polling is considered politicking and must remain outside of the polling place
• Voters must remove or cover campaign buttons, hats, articles of clothing and other paraphernalia before coming in to vote. Coats should be kept on if a person is wearing a campaign shirt. This applies only to materials that a) display the name of a candidate on the ballot, or b) an organized political party, or c) that demonstrate support or opposition to a question on the ballot.
• Individual voters may bring in brochures and written campaign materials for their own use, but these may not be shown to others. Materials left in the voting booth or polling place will be immediately discarded.
• SIGNS: Candidates and campaigns may place one sign measuring no more than 3’ x 2’ representing one candidate and/or ballot item in or on the ground in the grass to the south of the Town Hall. All signs must be controlled by a person and removed when the polls close.
  • Candidates and campaigns may not leave unattended signs or campaign materials outside the polling place. Signs must be held at all times and not be propped against the building.

Vermont law permits the presiding officer to designate an area OUTSIDE of the polling place where candidates, supporters and pollsters can stand, offer information, and/or hold signs on election day.

• REMAIN ON THE GRASS TO THE SOUTH OF THE TOWN HALL. Care must be taken to stay clear of the road.
• THE SPACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TOWN HALL FRONT STAIRS is reserved for handicapped parking and curbside voting, and must remain clear.
• The voter’s progress into and out of the polling place may not be blocked.
• Offenders will be asked to leave the area if these guidelines are not adhered to.
• If any question arises, please contact the presiding election official.

The Guide to Placement of Political Campaign Signs at the Secretary of State’s website will give more pre-election and day-of-election sign guidance.

Representatives of political parties, candidates and political committees have a right to be present and observe voters at the entrance checklist. They have a right to hear the name of each voter restated by the entrance checklist election official. Due to space constraints, the total number of Poll Watchers will be limited to 4 at any one time;. If there are more people wishing to observe the process inside the polling place than we are able to safely accommodate, you may be asked to observe in shifts.

Poll watchers MUST:

• Remain in the area specifically designated
• NOT project any campaign affiliation – no buttons, campaign materials, clothing, etc
• NOT speak to voters
• NOT distract, disturb or interrupt election officials
• NOT use their cell phones inside the polling place, including all functions such as texting, recording or photographing.
• Not set up their own tables
• Not require voters to stop and give their names – either inside or outside the polling place
• Not ask to view the checklist

These rules apply during the vote counting process.

Viewing of the checklist (17 V.S.A. § 2572) 

(a) A representative of each political party, a candidate on the ballot not represented by a political party and a representative of each committee supporting or opposing any public question on the ballot shall each have the right to view, no more than two times each, a copy of the checklist upon which the election officials are marking those persons who have voted.

(b) This viewing shall occur only at times during the election which are convenient for the election officials and is required to be permitted only in instances where the board of civil authority have received a request in writing from the representative or candidate at least 12 hours before the opening of the polls.

**(c) This section shall only apply at polling places which have checklists of eligible voters numbering 500 or less. 

Cornwall has over 500 eligible voters, which meets the requirements of Section 2572(c). Therefore, viewing of the voter checklist will not be permitted at any time.

Challenges (17 VSA  §2564)

Poll watchers who represent a political party, a candidate or a political committee may challenge a voter’s right to vote on two grounds ONLY:

1) That a voter has already voted in the same election or

2) that the voter is not actually the person whose name appears on the checklist.

Asserting that a voter does not reside in Cornwall is not one of the permitted grounds for a challenge.

If a voter is challenged, members of the BCA present must convene immediately to hear the facts and rule on the matter. If the Board overrules the challenge, the person will immediately be admitted within the guardrail and permitted to vote. If the Board sustains the challenge, the person will not be admitted unless, before the polls close, they obtain a court order directing that they be permitted to vote.