Judge blocks Minn. law that hampers exit polling

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Minnesota law that The Associated Press and other media argued would keep exit pollsters far away from the polls on Election Day.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis ordered Wednesday that the AP and the major television news networks must be allowed to conduct exit polling as long as it doesn't interfere with voters entering and leaving polling places.

The judge's preliminary injunction allows only exit pollsters within the 100-foot zone, not other groups. The media groups are still seeking a permanent injunction.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said in a statement that his office has directed local election officials to comply with the ruling. He didn't comment further.

AP, ABC, CNN, CBS, Fox News and NBC had sued Minnesota over a new law against anyone but voters and election judges from lingering within 100 feet of buildings where polling places are located. The state said the law was intended to prevent disruptions and electioneering.

The news organizations said distance matters because voters could drive away or meld into the crowd if exit pollsters can't get close enough to speak to them. The media rely on exit polls for data on how and why people voted and to understand political trends.

"I think this is a terrific victory for the First Amendment and for the right of voters in Minnesota to express their views about this extraordinary election, should they choose to," said Susan Buckley, an attorney for the news organizations.

The judge wrote that the news organizations are likely to ultimately prevail on their claim that the law is unconstitutional as far as it applies to them. He said they would suffer irreparable harm if they could not gather "accurate and valuable voter information during this historic election year."

Davis acknowledged the state has a compelling interest in keeping order at voting places, but found that excluding exit pollsters wasn't necessary to do that.

"There has been no evidence presented to the Court that exit polling in any way has a detrimental effect on the orderly and corruption-free polling place," he wrote.