How can that be?
No penalty in Bing, Cockrel campaigning
Candidates get warning over appearances at polls
http://www.freep.com/article/20090427/NEWS01/904270333/
During the Feb. 24 primary, Free Press staff witnessed Cockrel, while making a campaign stop at the Sheridan Place apartments on the city's east side, walk into the room where voting was taking place.
Cockrel, wearing a "Ken Cockrel Corps" T-shirt that was partially visible under his parka, said hello to those in the room and noted he could not try to influence their vote. He shook voters' hands as he left.
Meanwhile, Free Press staff also saw Bing, wearing a "Bing for Mayor" cap and a campaign lanyard, enter Pershing High School and walk up to the entrance of the voting room, but never enter.
Bing greeted a voter exiting the room, but then a city election worker, noticing Bing and a throng of news media following him, ordered the group to leave.
State election policy is to have an election worker advise a person who might be violating the law and call
law enforcementhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adT...lass_10x10.gif only if he or she refuses to leave, Baxter said. Criminal action would occur only if a witness filed a complaint with law enforcement, he said.
Both campaigns said they would respect the clerk's letter.
"We'll abide by all rules that are provided by the city clerk," said Bing spokeswoman Meagan Pitts.
Cockrel campaign manager Jim Edmondson had no problem with the clerk's decision.
"There was no real harm here," he said. "We will certainly adhere to all the rules of election law."