32-1525. Polling and interviews; poll watchers; counting watchers or observers; prohibited acts; restrictions; violation; penalty.

429 words·~2 min read·/ne/chapter-32/32-1525

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(1)No person shall conduct an exit poll, a public opinion poll, or any other interview with voters on election day seeking to determine voter preference within twenty feet of the entrance of any polling place or, if inside the polling place or building, within one hundred feet of any voting booth.

(2)(a) No poll watcher shall interfere with any voter in the preparation or casting of such voter's ballot or prevent any election worker from performing the worker's duties.

(b)A poll watcher shall not provide assistance to a voter as described in section 32-918 unless selected by the voter to provide assistance as provided in section 32-918 .

(c)A poll watcher shall not do any electioneering or disseminate any information or materials advertising or advocating for or against any ballot measure while engaged in observing at a polling place.

(d)A poll watcher shall maintain a distance of at least eight feet from the sign-in table, the sign-in register, the polling booths, the ballot box, and any ballots which have not been cast, except that if the polling place is not large enough for a distance of eight feet, the judge of election shall post a notice of the minimum distance the poll watcher must maintain from the sign-in table, the sign-in register, the polling booths, the ballot box, and any ballots which have not been cast. The posted notice shall be clearly visible to the voters and shall be posted prior to the opening of the polls on election day. The minimum distance shall not be determined to exclude a poll watcher from being in the polling place.

(3)(a) No counting watcher or observer shall prevent any election worker from performing the worker's duties.

(b)A counting watcher or observer shall maintain a distance of at least eight feet from any ballots, ballot boxes, sign-in registers, and vote counting devices, except that if the counting location is not large enough for a distance of eight feet, the election commissioner or county clerk shall post a notice of the minimum distance the counting watcher or observer must maintain from any ballots, ballot boxes, sign-in registers, and vote counting devices. The posted notice should be clearly visible to the counting watcher or observer and shall be posted prior to the counting board convening. The minimum distance shall not be determined to exclude a counting watcher or observer from being in the counting location except as provided in subsection

(4)of section 32-1013 .

(4)Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class V misdemeanor.