Judge removes barrier to New Jersey exit polling

Saying that he had never found evidence that exit polling created disorder at a polling place, a federal judge issued an injunction against New Jersey in its attempts to ban the polling with 100 feet of polling places. -DB

October 26, 2009
By Rory Eastburg

Judge blocks New Jersey ban on exit polling

A federal judge in New Jersey issued a preliminary injunction Friday blocking that state’s attempt to ban exit polling within 100 feet of polling places, the Associated Press reported.

U.S. District Court Judge Peter G. Sheridan issued the injunction in response to a request from the National Election Pool, a coalition of media groups that includes AP, CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS. Sheridan said he found “simply no evidence that exit polling has ever led to disorderly conduct at polling places.”

New Jersey’s gubernatorial election takes place Nov. 3.

Copyright 2009 Reporters Committee on Freedom of the Press