
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 29, 1993                   TAG: 9310290143
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Short

APPEAL SET FOR VOTER GUIDE BAN

Two conservative groups will appeal a ruling that they cannot distribute voter guides because they are not registered with the state, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

"It's a blatant attempt to censor," Anne Kincaid said after Circuit Judge J. Howe Brown ruled Wednesday that the guides could not be distributed by the Family Foundation and Concerned Women for America.

The court issued a temporary restraining order last week banning distribution of the guides after the state Democratic Party charged they were campaign literature that misrepresented the views of their candidates.

Brown's ruling extends the temporary restraining order past Tuesday's election.

The groups said the guides are nonpartisan, accurately summarize candidates' positions, make no endorsements and should be protected by the constitutional right to free speech.

The Democratic Party said that since neither group had registered with the State Board of Elections, they would violate state election laws by distributing the guides.

Many of the 1 million voter guides already have been shipped to churches around the state and were scheduled to be distributed after services this weekend.

State Democrats issued a news release saying churchgoers should notify the Democratic Party or "authorities" if they see the guides.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB