On Election Day, 12 Lawrence teenagers exercised their First Amendment rights by standing outside various polling places, in teams of two, with signs urging voters to vote for the Republican candidates for Town Council. They stood at least 100 feet away from the entrance to the polling place (as required by state law), didn’t engage voters in conversation, and didn’t distribute campaign literature. They just stood there with their signs for about three hours after school.
Many drivers tooted their horns or gave the kids the thumbs-up sign as they drove past. Undoubtedly, they were glad to see kids taking an active interest in politics. Incredibly, shortly after the kids took their posts, Joe Cermele, the president of the Lawrence Democratic Club, confronted them in an effort to drive them away. He went from polling place to polling place, untruthfully telling the students that they were breaking the law, taking photographs of the kids as "evidence," and threatening some of them with legal action. He told one pair of students that another pair had already been fined and that if they didn’t move they would be fined too.
Fortunately, our young workers had been well briefed beforehand; they even had with them a copy of the relevant state law. They offered to show the law to Mr. Cermele so he could see for himself that they were acting lawfully. He refused to look at it. They refused to be pushed around.
Mr. Cermele then apparently contacted the police. Shortly after he left, the teams of students were visited by both local patrol officers and by the State Police. In each case, the responding officers told our campaign workers that they should feel free to "stay where you are." Not one student was ordered to move or to stop holding their signs. The police protected the students’ rights, and I am grateful to them for doing so.
Joe Cermele’s intimidation tactics on Election Day represent a low in Lawrence Township politics. We should be encouraging young people to participate in our political process, not trying to threaten them into silence. Mr. Cermele owes these students, and the people of Lawrence, an apology for these heavy-handed tactics. They have no place in our community and should be repudiated by every responsible resident, starting with our local Democratic candidates.
Dave Snedeker, President, Lawrence Township Republican Club

