Fingers pointing both ways in electioneering squabble

Elections commissioners in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties say they're encountering problems today with people electioneering within the 100-foot boundary of the poll site.

Police were called in the St. Lawrence County towns of Fowler and Parishville when people allegedly refused to comply with inspectors' request to back up.

Joy Yearout, spokeswoman for the Susan B. Anthony List said it was one of her volunteers that encountered the cops in Fowler. Her anti-abortion group has 200 volunteers at more than 52 polling locations across the district passing out pamphlets urging voters to pick Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.

"The police came and said he was fine," she said.

Ms. Yearout blamed over-zealous poll workers "using the only tool they have, and that’s intimidation."

The SBA List spokeswoman said a volunteer at a Cadyville (Clinton County) polling station was also accused of intimidating voters, but police were not called.

"A member of the GOP Board of Elections said she was within her rights to stay and she did," Ms. Yearout said.

There appears to be some disagreement over which group is intimidating, and which group is being intimidated.

June O'Neill, the former state Democratic Party chairwoman and a Morley resident, told the New York Daily News that she's "gotten reports that people are standing there, covered with Hoffman stickers and yelling anti-choice stuff at voters."

In Lewis County, elections inspectors removed Hoffman signs at one poll site because they were too close.

“I just feel like the candidate should have their workers under control,” said Elaine McLear, county Democratic elections commissioner. “There are ways to handle things, and we had to do what we thought was proper.”

Both Jefferson County elections commissioners made unscheduled appearances at city polling sites urging campaign volunteers to keep their distance, but I don't know if they were supporting Mr. Hoffman.

Sean M. Hennessey, the county Democratic elections commissioner, is downplaying the incidents.

“We've received some complaints, but everything is under control,” he said. “People are very passionate about this election but we'd like them to respect the voters."