The Colorado State University newspaper scored a victory for the Fourth Estate today, winning approval from the county clerk and recorder to keep newspaper racks in their same location inside the student center despite the presence of a ballot drop-off box.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian story that led to a temporary relocation.
“I’m happy about that,” said Kate Winkle, executive editor of the Rocky Mountain Collegian.
The Alaska senior said she was in class this morning when she got a text message from the newsroom adviser asking her to call as soon as possible. It turns out that election judges at the Lowry Student Center raised a question about having newspaper racks with a front-page story on Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall’s visit to the campus on Monday because of the ballot box.
She said she was told by Larimer Clerk and Recorder Angela Myers that the newspaper was in violation of a law that prohibits electioneering within 100 feet of a poll place.
“It’s coverage, not campaigning,” Winkle protested.
Winkle said she couldn’t understand the problem. The ballot box is on the third floor, the newspaper racks on the first floor. The Denver Post, USA Today and the New York Times were not removed, but the Collegian was, she said.
The newspaper’s attorney, Steven Zansberg, wrote a letter to the clerk, who eventually relented after consulting with the secretary of state and her own attorney. Myers, a Republican, told The Denver Post the county has been careful to enforce the no-electioneering rule, but in this case made a decision to allow newspapers that were historically in the same building as a polling box to keep their current location.
“I didn’t want to cause trouble,” Winkle said, “but it’s always good to for people to know we have First Amendment rights,” she said.
Udall is in the fight of his political career. Several polls have showed him trailing his Republican challenger, Congressman Cory Gardner.
