North Carolina State Board of Elections: What You Can Wear in the Voting Booth

Don Wright, the General Counsel for the NC State Board of Elections, has clarified for The Urban News the rules governing campaign paraphernalia and clothing at voting places. Here’s what he has to say:

“A voter may enter a voting place to vote wearing political items as long as they proceed to vote in an orderly and timely manner, and do not attempt to electioneer within the voting place.” What that means is that a voter wearing a T-shirt that reads “Vote for X” and who shouts “Vote for X,” or who places his T-shirt in the sightline of voters asking support for “X,” will be considered to be electioneering. Wright says that such voters “will be asked to refrain from the conduct at once, and if they continue will be removed.”

However, he continues, “A voter [who wears] a political cap, T-shirt, or button and does not electioneer within the polling place will be allowed to vote in a normal matter.”

Wright also cautions that laws may vary in other states.