Canvassers are exercising free speech

With Election Day fast approaching, candidates and their volunteers will likely knock on your door. Such knocks might be annoying, but I’d argue that receiving knocks from people who want your vote is better than living in a country without elections.

Political knocking season warrants a quick reminder: Canvassing is not solicitation. Solicitation is the act of trying to sell, which may be limited by local ordinance. Many municipalities require a permit, and the “no solicitors” sticker on your door should insulate you.

Canvassing is different. The First Amendment protects political knocking as free speech. Neither your town’s restrictions on solicitation nor your "solicitor" sticker has any legal effect.

Unfortunately, law enforcement sometimes fails to recognize this distinction. On a recent weekend afternoon, I was knocking for a candidate in the northwest suburbs. An officer waved me to his car, stated that political canvassing counts as solicitation requiring a permit and threatened to issue a citation if I continued.

When he wasn’t convinced by my reference to the Constitution, I resorted to contacting my elected friends. A township trustee called a village trustee, and the village trustee called the police chief, who took responsibility for correcting the officer. Had I been less confident in my constitutional right, or not as connected to elected officials, the officer’s citation threat might have ended my knocking.

I don’t suspect a conspiracy to suppress the vote or allege any bad intention. Rather, my interaction demonstrates that even those who enforce the law might need a refresher on this point.

The hassle of receiving a door knock is a small price for living in a free country. If you truly don’t want to be bothered by political knocks, posting a “no trespassing" sign on your property will achieve your desired peace.

Dan Tully, Carol Stream