From The Delaware County [PA] Daily Times:
Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.There seemed to be more reporters out and about in Delaware County [PA] this Election Day than voters, according to officials.
“[Voter] Turnout is very low,’’ said Frank Catania, solicitor for the election bureau….
However, everybody from the national media to a staff from Al-Jazeerah of the Muslim-American News showed up at the polls this morning, according to poll watchers.
Derek Woodward, a judge of elections at the Aldan West polling place … said a reporter/producer and photographer identifying themselves from Al-Jazeerah tried to film inside the polling place around 10 a.m. but were denied.
“They weren’t allowed because they were deceptive,’’ he said. “Ultimately it’s my decision whether to allow cameras in. They said they had prior permission and when I asked `from whom’ they gave me several different people (including the county election solicitor).’’
Woodward said he checked and they didn’t obtain that permission so he asked them to step outside which they did.
Catania said arrangements should be made by the news media prior to an election, which is the usual rule, if reporters want to be allowed inside a polling site.
Joyce Laughlin, judge of elections in Edgmont where Congressman Joseph Sestak votes said about 6:30 a.m. a contingent of news vans filled the parking lot and reporters were on the steps and inside before the polls opened. She said they wanted to snap him voting.
“I wouldn’t let them. I asked them to leave because the voters couldn’t get in and there was no place for them to park,’’ said Laughlin.
Laughlin said that reporters and camera crews went outside and that she saw cameras placed up against the outside windows so that the media could get pictures of Sestak.
