No Campaign T-Shirts or Buttons inside Texas, New York, New Jersey and other polling places

I received an email tonight with some important information for voters. Apparently it is unlawful in the State of Texas to wear “campaign materials” i.e. buttons and t-shirts inside the polling place.  The source of the e-mail said they contacted the Texas Election Board and confirmed that this was true.

I did a quick search on the net and came across a law paper titled You Can’t Wear That to Vote by Kimberly J. Tucker.   Here’s how she began her work in the subject:

My research for this article began on Election Day 2004 when I was told
that I could not wear a campaign button into the polling room while voting in
Virginia…a Virginia election official told me I had to take off my “John
Kerry for President” button in order to vote. I responded “that is not a law.” When the official protested, I said, “show me the law,” and she brought over a book of rules.

According to Tucker there are ten states — Delaware, Kansas,  Minnesota,  Montana, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont– that prohibit a voter from wearing a “badge, “lapel,” “button,” or “pin” in a “campaign free” zone.  You can throw T-Shirts in the mix as well.

So until I hear otherwise, I’m going with this.  Let’s get the word out and let everyone know that no matter how much they support their candidate -in my case Senator Obama- they should refrain from wearing any campaign material inside the polling place.