Jay Sidie told to leave after concern about electioneering too close to early voting site

Jay Sidie, the Democratic candidate in Kansas’ 3rd District congressional race, was told to leave the parking lot of an early voting site Saturday after concerns about trying to campaign too close to a polling place.

According to Kansas law, people cannot try to persuade voters to vote for a candidate within 250 feet of the entrance of a voting site. The state law characterizes that as electioneering.

The first-time politician was campaigning near the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, one of the area’s six early voting sites. Sidie is now in a close race for the House seat with Rep. Kevin Yoder, the incumbent Republican.

Both Sidie’s campaign and election officials confirmed the interaction, although in a statement late Saturday a Sidie spokesman said the candidate was more than 250 away from the voting site.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article112855053.html