On September 30, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that no one, not even exit pollsters, should be allowed to approach voters (whether entering or leaving) within 100 feet of a polling place, on election day. The case is In Re: Attorney General’s Directive on Exit Polling, no. A-47. Here is a link to the decision.

Exit polling companies have won many lawsuits in many states, making it possible for exit pollsters to station themselves in close proximity to polling places. Exit pollsters ask voters who are leaving the polling place to fill out a one-page or two-page questionaire, and that is how TV stations can predict the results of elections so quickly. Exit polling also makes it possible for social scientists to know how demographic groups voted.