The Mary P. Burke, ‘The Bubbler’ is where the Madison Public Library’s Central location polling station is located. If true, does that mean that her name will have to be covered up on voting days?
She bought the rights to the space but what does that mean in the legal 200 feet rule in Wisconsin. Polling places are neutral spaces by state law. No political speech, pamphlet , buttons, tabling, let alone, NAMES ON WALLS.
According to the Government Accountability Board (GAB) website. El.Bd. Op. 78-7 (Revised 6/9/08) there is a prohibition on electioneering at or near polling place on election day. Campaign signs placed on public property within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place on election day are unlawful… (the summary continues…) The library staff have been alerted. They
are now looking into whether or not the Central library will be a polling location. The next person to contact is the Dane County Clerk. This is the end of my first blog. Thank you for reading. More to come.
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Editor added: This is a recent letter send by Mary Jo to Library Staff and the clerk.
Dear Clerk,
Is there a conflict of interest for governor candidate who donated also has a wing of the library with her name on it be a polling station? have donated money to have their name on the wall of the entry to a polling station?
I am speaking about Mary Burke and stating that her name is located on “The Bubbler” space that is located on the bottom, entry level of the Madison Public library’s Central location. It may or may not be the now discussed location of the polling location.
What the library management are doing about this fact, of poll location, I am not sure. But it seems a direct and on-going conflict of interest and is advertisement for the candidate, Mary Burke, who is running as a democrat candidate. Therefore,even considering the use of the room as a polling location in the central location-twice, in August and in November is no small point for the staff to make comment on with the help of election laws and you.
What does a clerk of Madison’s have to say on this issue of electioneering on the library walls, as the same location as a possible polling location within the Central library. Is covering up the name on election day enough? Should the name be taken down sooner than later?
Thank you for a reply to these questions.
Why doesn’t this writer write on her own for this site? Why does she have to write through someone? It’s disempowering for the woman’s voice to have another person post for her.
I have posted articles for several people – men and women. We are working on getting her own log in, but the format changed and I need to teach her how to use it and haven’t had time, this was just easier to the article out in a timely way. She could also just start her own blog if she wanted.
I love that Brenda has the site already set up and there is crossover in our writings. I am grateful to be collaborative. I will start to be able to post my own on THIS SITE SOON. Thank you Teresa Doyle.
–Mary Jo