Can you wear political attire to vote at the polls in NC? What election officials say
Early voting has finally arrived in North Carolina, with millions of voters expected to cast their ballots before the Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
As political hopefuls battle it out, some voters may be inclined to show support by wearing buttons, hats, shirts or other garb with the name of a candidate while at the polls.
But is that practice really allowed? We asked an election official to explain.
Can you wear political attire to the polls in NC?
Yes, voters are allowed to vote at their polling place while wearing political clothing and accessories, as long as they do not linger, do not speak to anyone and vote in a timely manner, according to Kristin Mavromatis, the public information manager at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections.
“Anyone’s allowed to wear whatever they want to vote,” Mavromatis previously told The Charlotte Observer. “But, if you wear it, you have to walk in, vote, and leave.”
North Carolina law says “no person or group shall hinder access, harass others, distribute campaign literature, place politics ad or solicit votes,” but this rule doesn’t stop voters from wearing clothing that simply states a candidate’s name, The News & Observer previously reported.
Voters run into trouble when their political garb attempts to convince others at the polls to vote for their candidate, with phrases like “Vote for.”
That’s when the items you wear could become electioneering.
What is electioneering?
State law refers to electioneering as any broadcast, cable or satellite communication, mailing or phone call that mentions a clearly identified candidate for elected office and is transmitted to the masses.
Poll workers, who are prohibited from wearing political paraphernalia, may ask voters to cover up their shirts and remove caps while they vote. It is fair game to wear what you want outside voting facilities, Mavromatis told the Observer.
Though attire with a political party or candidates’ names is legal at the polls, wearing shirts, hats or buttons that contain a call to action (such as “vote for”) for your candidate and even verbally encouraging others to vote for a specific person are all examples of electioneering at the polls, too.
When asked about electioneering enforcement, Mavromatis told the Observer that deciding to wear political items is a “First Amendment right” for voters but could be problematic depending on the circumstance.
For example, a voter wearing a shirt with Vice President and Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ name on it wouldn’t run into any issues. But if the same voter wore a shirt that said “Vote for Kamala Harris” at the voting site, poll workers could ask them to cover their shirt.
This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Can you wear political attire to vote at the polls in NC? What election officials say."
