S.D Relents on Exit Polling
AP, ABC, Fox News Channel, CBS, CNN Will Be Able to Conduct Exit Polling Within 100 Feet of Primary Polls in South Dakota
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/19/2008 2:46:00 PM EDT
AP and the TV news networks will be able to conduct exit polling within 100 feet of the polls in the South Dakota primary June 3.
According to a network-news source, the attorney general's office of South Dakota agreed to settle a suit filed by the networks against the law by permanently enjoining the state from enforcing its statutory ban on exit polling within 100 feet of the polls.
Joining in the court challenge in addition to AP were ABC, Fox News Channel, CBS and CNN, which together comprise the National Election Pool, a consortium of news organizations that teamed up for vote counts and election analysis.
They argued that the law limited their ability to gather information and comment on it and that they had conducted such polling in South Dakota before.
According to AP, the South Dakota secretary of state recently sent an e-mail to polling representatives saying that the law should be enforced.
The networks said the restriction would hurt the sample because some people may be able to leave without the networks having the opportunity to question them.
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