Taking a stand

I am concerned regarding the reporting of the election results on Nov. 7. I approach every election as a serious responsibility. I pay attention to how each candidate stands on each issue.

As such, I have thought for years that no media coverage (including exit-poll results) should begin until all polls in every state have closed (the one exception might be Hawaii due to the time differential). Never has this been more apparent than Tuesday evening. I watched (Channel 6, NBC) while Florida “was predicted” to go to Gore even though the popular vote showed Bush ahead substantially. I turned to my husband and asked how that could be. Was this accidental? Was this planned by the Gore-biased-media to sway the vote in those western states whose polls had not closed? These questions will never receive answers beyond doubt.

Every citizen in this country should be able to go to the polls, participate in the election process and be confident that he and she voted in an honest election. One has to wonder if public apathy, in part, might be due to the appearance of dishonesty or deceit on the part of the media and others.

I urge our congressmen and congresswomen to craft or sign onto a bill to be put before Congress to limit media coverage and exit poll results until after polls in all the states have closed. Elaine H. Stevens South Berwick