Passive electioneering

Passive electioneering is the act of wearing campaign paraphernalia or carrying signs to a polling place with the intent of influencing voters. Across the United States laws vary relating to passive electioneering.[1] In the fall of 2008, officials in Virginia moved to ban the wearing of campaign paraphernalia. New York has a similar law in place.

In 2008, internet political organizers were cautioning voters not to wear campaign T-shirts at the polls.[2]

At least seven states, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and Kansas prohibit wearing campaign buttons, stickers and badges inside polling places.[3][4] Efforts to enforce a similar ban are headed to court in Pennsylvania.[citation needed] The American Civil Liberties Union argued that the ban violates the First Amendment's right to free speech.

  1. ^ What voters wear: A battle over dress codes, The Politico.
  2. ^ Passive Electioneering, from Snopes.
  3. ^ BOB LEWIS, Associated Press Writer (14 September 2008). "Va. officials ban campaign clothing at polls" (printable). The Associated Press. Retrieved 15 October 2008. [dead link]
  4. ^ "NJSA 19:34-15 Electioneering within or about polling place; disorderly persons offense". nj.gov. Retrieved 10 October 2019.