Campaign for Change
Students played an important roll in Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign. Students, residents, paid employees and volunteers alike bonded together to show support for their candidate. Obama’s campaign harnessed the youth vote in a way that had never been done before. According to College News:
The youth, a notoriously unpredictable constituency in voter turnout, dashed to the polls in historically high numbers. And they leaned toward Obama overwhelmingly, by a ratio of greater than two-to-one, according to exit polls.”
My independent study for my final quarter at Ohio University focused on Barack Obama’s student-led campaign in Athens, Ohio. I met many committed and tallented individuals along the way. Enjoy.
The Photograph with a Story
Let me tell you about my crazy election day.
So, being a media photographer, I naturally was going to be photographing this historic election. Anticipating the madness of the day, I went to the Athens County Board of Elections on November 3 to check on the guidelines on photographing inside the polling places. There, I was informed by Debbie Quivey, Director of the Athens County Board of Elections, that in no uncertain terms I could not photograph inside the polling places, even though I was a credentialed media photographer (for The Post).
Now, I knew that she was incorrect, as you see photographs from media outlets all the time of people in polling places voting. I continued to push the issue, and Debbie Quivey gave me an advisory from Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State, dated February 26, 2008, which Quivey said backed her position. An excerpt from this advisory is below.
The Secretary of State’s office is commonly asked whether the media must be granted access to polling places during an election. While it appears that statutory authority exists to keep the media from entering polling places…a federal court has effectively enjoined election officials and authorities from enforcing that statute against representatives of the media. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Beacon Journal Publishing Company, Inc. v. Blackwell, 389 F. 3d 683 (6th Cir. 2004), stated that the media must be granted “reasonable access to any polling place for the purpose of news-gathering and reporting so long as [they] do not interfere with poll workers and voters as voters exercise their right to vote.” Poll workers must grant representatives of the media access to polling locations, but they must consider several factors in granting access so as to ensure voters are not disturbed or delayed.
Now, I wondered if Debbie Quivey actually read what she gave me. I proceeded to call the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, but got nowhere inside the phone tree. I decide to take my chances and get in on election day.
Election day comes, and I am kicked out of every polling place I try to photograph in, even though I identify myself as a credentialed photographer working for The Post, and have credentials visibly dangling from my neck.
Around 6 p.m. (polls closed at 7:30 in Ohio), I decide that I’m just going for it and photograph the polls (as I am legally allowed to do as a credentialed media photographer). I position myself at the door of a polling station within Ohio University’s Baker Center and begin shooting.
Immediately, an angry poll worker was running my way. She was getting bigger and bigger in my frame as I continued to fire way. I was thinking to myself, “bring it on.”
The poll worker angrily asked me what I was doing, to stop photographing and to put my camera away at once. I calmly explained that I was a credentialed photographer working for The Post, and showed her my press pass. She said no way, nobody is allowed to take photographs inside polling places, and that The Post was not a recognized media outlet (which is false). I asked to speak to her supervisor.
The head official of the particular polling place came up and told me that no, I could not take any photographs whatsoever. Furthermore, as she pointed to my camera, she said she said a camera that technological could zoom into people’s ballots. I had my 16-35mm wide angle lens on, and explained that I would literally have to be within a foot of a person’s ballot to “zoom in” on it. Besides, that wasn’t even the point.
I whipped out the advisory from the Secretary of State which Debbie Quivey gave me the day before, and showed it the head official of the Baker polling location. She said that no, this does not say I am allowed to take photographs (which it does). I told her to call Debbie up.
She called Debbie, and Debbie, of course, said in no uncertain terms that of course I could not take photographs. I asked to speak with her myself. I explained that I was a photographer for The Post, and from the advisory she gave me yesterday, I had access to the polling location as a credentialed member of the media, as long as I did not interfere with the voters or voting process. She finally agreed that I had access, but that did not mean taking photographs. She did not want to see photos in The Post or in any other newspaper tomorrow, or else….
Furthermore, she said that she had security “down there,” and, in fact, security was “on its way.” She said if I took more photos….and then trailed off and stopped short of saying that she would confiscate my gear.
I thanked her for her time, and headed down to the offices of The Post to talk to the Editor in Chief. He called Debbie Quivey, and explained that as a media photographer, I am allowed to photograph within the polls. He told her that if she turned on CNN, you would see reporters reporting from within polls in Ohio. She hung up.
We were finally able to get in contact with a superior, and around 7:15p.m., I was allowed into photograph the polls. With 15 minutes left until the polls closed, there were not many people to photograph.
As a result, I am slightly appalled to announce that I was the only media outlet in the county to be allowed in to photograph the polls. I am stunned that none of the other media outlets in town did not fight for their right to cover the polling locations. I had to spend more time on election day fighting for my right to cover a historic election than actually covering it. What a day.
Election Live Gallery
Welcome to my live coverage of Election Day in Ohio. This live gallery will be updated frequently throughout the day tomorrow (November 4) with fresh images from the 2008 Presidential Election in Ohio. In Ohio, polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Feel free to embed this gallery in your blog or website, or share in any other way. All images included in the gallery are fully liscensable. Thanks for viewing!
Matthew Maxwell Kennedy
Matthew Maxwell Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, visited Athens Thursday, October 30, 2008 to campaign for Obama. Kennedy spent his time with the student members of Campaign for Change. Said Kennedy, “You guys are smiling and having fun…I’ve never seen energy like this on a campus before.”
Even the restroom at Wendy’s is having its say about this election.
5 Days Left
With 5 days left, we’re getting down to the wire ladies and gents. More from my independent study:
Suzi Hawk, Communications Chair and second top-caller for Ohio University’s College Republicans, makes calls on behalf of the McCain/Palin campaign, Wednesday October 22, 2008.
Ken Chapman, Regional Field Director for Campaign for Change, watches Senator Barack Obama’s 30-minute TV ad on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. The ad, which aired on 7 different networks simultaneously, featured profiles of families and high-profile endorsements.
Is anyone getting sick of election coverage yet?
Biden Comes to Athens
Joe Biden visited Athens Wednesday, October 15.
Surrounded by Secret Service agents, Senator Joe Biden poses with Rachel Kleinman and Nicole Smith, of Athens, October 15, 2008. Vice-Presidential hopeful Biden appeared alongside Ohio Governor Ted Strickland to campaign on behalf of Obama.
Paying for Election Coverage
Both the McCain and Obama campaigns are charging the media for election night coverage.
According to ChicagoBusiness.com:
“A memo sent to news organizations on Tuesday by the Obama campaign says credentials will cost $715 to $1,815, depending on whether electrical and phone lines are needed and whether an indoor or outdoor seat is requested for the event, which is expected to be held outside the evening of Nov. 4 in Grant Park.”
According to SportsShooter.com:
“Workspace in the [McCain] Press Filing Center Workspace may be available for a fee. Space is limited and not guaranteed. The ESTIMATED cost is $695 per person. Workspace will include: Table space, Power, Wi-Fi, Cable TV viewing, Food and Beverage service throughout election day. And if you were dismayed by the Obama situation it’s much worse at McCain. There is NO option for free coverage. None.”
Comments from media photographers via the SportsShooter.com forums:
“This is an absolutely moronic decision given the fact that Obama has gotten such a free ride from most of the journalism world during his camapaign. Most of the major networks are all but campaigning for the guy, so you would think that he would issue them guest passes and send a limo to the airport for them rather than charge them a fee for access.”
“How long will it be before we see this on the local level? Can we soon expect mayoral candidates to begin charging members of the media for election coverage? What about covering a school board election. And why stop at election coverage? When will they begin charging fees to cover the presidential state of the union address? Your governor’s state of the state address? Mayor-attended ribbon cutting ceremonies?”
Interesting time to be a news photographer.
Last Debate
I photographed people watching the last Presidential debate last week for my independent study. Here’s my favorite catch from the night.
An Obama supporter stands in the doorway during the final Presidential debate at the Campaign for Change student headquarters on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, October 15, 2008.
