While stumping for his wife in Massachusetts today, former President Bill Clinton stopped by a polling location in West Roxbury where he spoke to supporters, shook hands, took photos with people, and bought a cup of coffee.
But his presence at the location is raising eyebrows among many Twitter users, who are wondering whether he broke the commonwealth's election laws.
Fmr President Bill Clinton and @marty_walsh Meeting election workers in West Roxbury #wcvb #SuperTuesday pic.twitter.com/BiHK3eGSoc
— Sera Congi (@seracongi) March 1, 2016
Here’s a photo of Clinton, Walsh, and a voter posing with a ballot in West Roxbury today: https://t.co/vKBlhvGdCf pic.twitter.com/3SbGjJaw09
— bostonmagazine.com (@BostonMagazine) March 1, 2016
“How is this legal?” one person asked on the social media platform.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s voting regulations state the following, according to Boston Magazine.
“Within 150 feet of a polling place…no person shall solicit votes for or against, or otherwise promote or oppose, any person or political party or position on a ballot question, to be voted on at the current election,”the text reads. In addition, campaign operatives are prohibited from distributing “campaign material intended to influence the vote of a voter in the ongoing election” within 150 of a polling location.
The question, then, is this: Does Clinton or Walsh’s presence alone constitute “campaign material”?
What do you think?