Election Day 2020: Polling Places Could Turn Away Voters If They Don’t Meet Their Dress Code
Election Day might not be the best day to make a political fashion statement because polling places could turn you away for not meeting the dress code.
So to avoid facing any hassle this Election Day, it's best to just adhere to polling places' dress code.
States have different rules when to comes to campaigning on polling places, but many states adhere to the concept of "passive electioneering," according to FOX News.
This means, within 100 feet or less of the polling places, wearing a shirt with a candidate's name is against the dress code.
Election Day isn't going to bend this rule, despite a surge in early voting.
Polling places will still have these rules to allow people to vote without interference, said CNN.
There are 37 states that ban campaign signs and literature near polling places, as per the National Conference of State Legislatures.
There are also at least 21 states that restrict apparel worn at the polls, with 15 prohibiting it completely.
According to UC Irvine political science professor Richard Hasen, the laws are specific per state and poll workers enforce them.
Read also: Tips for Safe In-Person Voting on Election Day
"What one can wear, and whether other laws might violate the First Amendment, would have to be determined on a case by case basis," he said.
This November 3, here's what you should not wear when you head to the polls.
Political Attire Isn't Allowed in Some Polling Places
Some states don't allow political attire when people come to voting locations.
The idea behind this is that people have to be free from politicking when they cast their votes, not disturbing other voters.
Some states have a clear idea of "do not endorse political candidates using your apparel". These include California, Delaware, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and others.
The distance for which you can wear your political apparel varies depending on the state.
For some locations like California and Texas, they can't be worn 100 feet off the polling place. But in Delaware, the distance was cut shorter to only 50 feet.
Read also: What Time to Expect Election Results? Here Are Some Things that Happen on Election Night
The items that are included in these restrictions also vary per state.
For example, in Texas, law states that "[a] person may not wear a badge, insignia, emblem, or other similar communicative device" related to a candidate in the polling place.
In California hats, pencils, pens, signs or stickers are also included. Election code in California prohibits items with candidates' name, likeness or logo but slogans are allowed.
The state's elections chief even issued a notice stating "Make America Great Again (MAGA)", "Keep America Great (KAG)", "Vote for Science", and "Build Back Better" are allowed.
Meanwhile, Arizona residents aren't affected by these restrictions as AZ Central noted that state law does not include clothing in its "electioneering" definition.
Some Polling Places Allow Political Attire, But With a Catch
Some states are more laid back when it comes to political attire.
For example, Iowa allows voters to cast ballots while wearing all sorts of political attire they want. But people have to move out of the polling place as soon as they cast their ballots.
So for states that allow political items, loitering is commonly not allowed.
"[L]oitering in a polling place while wearing political items is considered electioneering," said Iowa's election website.
Other states like Maine restrict campaign pins by dimensions, restricting size to only three inches.
A complete list of electioneering restrictions can be seen on the NCSL website. But the safest bet is to also check on your local board of elections.
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