Palm Beach County elections supervisor to fight lawsuit involving church as polling place

Sun-Sentinel.com ^ | 12/7/06 | JOSH HAFENBRACK

[dukeman]

Vowing to fight a lawsuit claiming a Delray Beach church strewn with religious messages was an unconstitutional polling place, Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson said Thursday using houses of worship as polling sites is "essential" to the voting process.

A Delray Beach photographer, Jerry Rabinowitz, is challenging Anderson in federal court, saying the choice of Emmanuel Catholic Church as his polling site violated the First Amendment. The church had anti-abortion and Christian messages posted inside and outside the voting area, the lawsuit says.

[dukeman]

"Each of us matters to God." What an outrageous message! :-)

[TexanToTheCore]

This must stop. We need to begn suing back. Every lawsuit filed on the basis of separation of church and state should be accompanied by a countersuit for harassment of whatever is handy.


I have had it with these clowns.

[dukeman]

Yes, the idiot plaintiff has a totally skewed view of what the 1st amendment provides re establishment of religion. And why should a volunteer host have to censor itself?

[NonValueAdded]

Well, at least there is one sane person within Palm Beach County. Godspeed, delightfully named Arthur Anderson.

[teacherwoes]

I remember reading several years ago about this exact same thing. Someone thought a church was not a good polling place because it may send a religious message to the voters. Don't recall what the outcome of it was. I'm hoping they tell this guy to 'get a life'

[Libertarianize the GOP]

The real fear is that a few Democrats might be believers and so would be unwilling to stuff a ballot box in a house of worship.

[lastchance]

The church had anti-abortion and Christian messages posted inside and outside the voting area, the lawsuit says.

Unless any of these subjects was on the ballot the posters should remain. Just as posters supporting gay marriage should remain on the walls of a liberal Church unless the issue was being voted upon. Freedom of speech is not limited to non religious speech.

[sgtbono2002]

According to Democrats the only Churches that should be used for pollong places should be black Baptist Churches where the Democrat politicians go to mass before each election.

Dont look for Hillary or Bill in another church until its political election time. then hang on Black Churches ---here we come.

[LiteKeeper]

What a fool!

[rjp2005]

Emmanuel is hardly "strewn" with messages. It's a very small Church. Besides - what the heck is this guy complaining about - the county voted for liberal Klein!! The poll results were heavily on his side in Delray precincts.