Republicans Want A Dress Code For Voting

[Orange_Juice]

What idiocy!


GOP, Democrats battle in Pa. over voter dress code - Yahoo! News

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Sue Nace thought election volunteers were joking when they told her she would have to remove her T-shirt to vote in the presidential primary last spring.

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But it was no laughing matter to the poll workers-turned-fashion police, who said Nace's Obama shirt was inappropriate electioneering — and made her cover the writing before casting a ballot.

Now, a political fight over what voters can wear to the polls is headed to court in Pennsylvania — with the Republican Party favoring a dress code and Democrats opposed.

To the GOP, the lack of rules could open the door to all kinds of questionable displays — even, one Republican leader suggested, something as outlandish as a musical hat.

To the Democrats, voters should be free to express themselves. They fear a dress code could scare away some new voters.

The political showdown was triggered by a Pennsylvania Department of State memo advising counties last month that voters' attire doesn't matter as long as the "voter takes no additional action to attempt to influence other voters."

Because the memo is not legally binding, some counties have kept past restrictions on clothing and political buttons.

But two Pittsburgh-area elections officials sued to have the memo rescinded. Their lawsuit warned that if the memo stands, "nothing would prevent a partisan group from synchronizing a battalion of like-minded individuals ... to descend on a polling place, presenting a domineering, united front, certain to dissuade the average citizen who may privately hold different beliefs."

 

[editec]

But two Pittsburgh-area elections officials sued to have the memo rescinded. Their lawsuit warned that if the memo stands, "nothing would prevent a partisan group from synchronizing a battalion of like-minded individuals ... to descend on a polling place, presenting a domineering, united front, certain to dissuade the average citizen who may privately hold different beliefs."

Annoying as the dress code is, I can kind of understand their point.

Freedom of speech is a very complex thing to pull off in a free society.

 

[Orange_Juice]

Annoying as the dress code is, I can kind of understand their point.

Freedom of speech is a very complex thing to pull off in a free society.

Complex like Palin saying she and Mr. Maverick will clean up and regulate Wall Street and then saying she wants to get government off our backs?

 

[CA95380]

I don't see anything wrong with this. Now, if the cable newscasters were banned from chosing sides .... we would all be a lot better off.

Would you want this guy

walking up and down the street in front of your Burger King, even if he volunteered to do it - for no pay

 

[Skull Pilot]

I think the pollsters should just confiscate everyones clothes. the shirts off our backs are already being taken by the government, why not the rest?

 

[Silence]

just when you think the idiots can't get more idiotic...

There seems to be nothing the Repubs won't try to disinfranchise the voters. They've won two elections that way... it's all they know how to do...

I have no doubt this will be ruled unconstitutional...you can't tell people what to wear to the polls.

 

[Diuretic]

Here you can't have anything that might be considered to be electoral material within a certain distance of a polling place. It's entirely possible a tee shirt of a political nature could be deemed unlawful if it were worn inside a polling place.

 

[Ravi]

Di, here people can wear what they want to vote, even if it's a McCain/Palin shirt.

 

[CA95380]

My bad. I thought she was "working" as a volunteer at the polling place.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

It is illegal to campaign or display campaign material with in a set distance of a place of voting.

Just as I can not carry a sign that says "vote for McCain" with me into the polling place I can NOT wear a t-shirt that says the SAME thing. That is the law.

You can wear anything you want that is legal to a polling place BUT you can NOT take electionering material in with you. THAT includes wearing it on your clothing.

Simple concept really.

 

[William Joyce]

It's not a "dress code," it's a ban on political advertisements, which should be easy to enforce across the spectrum. Ultimately it's about preserving the dignity and decorum of the polling place, and I support that. I doubt an Obama or McCain T-shirt would intimidate someone into a different vote, but it is kind of rattling -- a distraction. Get enough of a distractive atmosphere, and it feeds other problems. While people are breaking into arguments or staring or whispering or whatever, the machines aren't being watched, lists aren't being checked, etc.

Meanwhile, Democrats have illegal aliens, felons and the dead voting en masse... but they have the nerve to complain about this?

 

[del]

Here you can't have anything that might be considered to be electoral material within a certain distance of a polling place. It's entirely possible a tee shirt of a political nature could be deemed unlawful if it were worn inside a polling place.

it's the same way here. you have to more than 1 or 200 ft away from entrance of the polling place to hold a sign, and i don't think it's stretching it to say that a shirt that says "vote for x" is the same as a sign. just more silly season crap.

 

[editec]

It is illegal to campaign or display campaign material with in a set distance of a place of voting.

Just as I can not carry a sign that says "vote for McCain" with me into the polling place I can NOT wear a t-shirt that says the SAME thing. That is the law.

You can wear anything you want that is legal to a polling place BUT you can NOT take electionering material in with you. THAT includes wearing it on your clothing.

Simple concept really.

Did you take smart pills or something, recently, RGS?

You've been making a whole lotta sense on a whole lot of issues, lately.

Not only do I think you have you come down on the right side of this (not immediately apparent) issue, but you expressed your position beautifully, too.

This rather sudden change in your writing style is somewhat confusing.

Welcome, but confusing.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Did you take smart pills or something, recently, RGS?

You've been making a whole lotta sense on a whole lot of issues, lately.

Not only do I think you have you come down on the right side of this (not immediately apparent) issue, but you expressed your position beautifully, too.

This rather sudden change in your writing style is somewhat confusing.

Welcome, but confusing.

Here let me call you a "retard", feel better?

 

[Ravi]

It's not a "dress code," it's a ban on political advertisements, which should be easy to enforce across the spectrum. Ultimately it's about preserving the dignity and decorum of the polling place, and I support that. I doubt an Obama or McCain T-shirt would intimidate someone into a different vote, but it is kind of rattling -- a distraction. Get enough of a distractive atmosphere, and it feeds other problems. While people are breaking into arguments or staring or whispering or whatever, the machines aren't being watched, lists aren't being checked, etc.

Meanwhile, Democrats have illegal aliens, felons and the dead voting en masse... but they have the nerve to complain about this?

The rules are pretty much the same, from state to state. You can't wear something that says "vote for so and so" but you can wear a tshirt with a candidates name on it as long as you do nothing but go in and vote...

 

[jreeves]

just when you think the idiots can't get more idiotic...

There seems to be nothing the Repubs won't try to disinfranchise the voters. They've won two elections that way... it's all they know how to do...

I have no doubt this will be ruled unconstitutional...you can't tell people what to wear to the polls.

There is a reason to outlaw political garb from the polling place. It could be construed as voter intimadation....

 

[jreeves]

It is illegal to campaign or display campaign material with in a set distance of a place of voting.

Just as I can not carry a sign that says "vote for McCain" with me into the polling place I can NOT wear a t-shirt that says the SAME thing. That is the law.

You can wear anything you want that is legal to a polling place BUT you can NOT take electionering material in with you. THAT includes wearing it on your clothing.

Simple concept really.

Not in every state, it varies.....If you are acting as a poll watcher, election judge or a few other positions you are not allowed within a certain distance from the polling place. But everyday voters, can under federal law, vote with political wear on, as long as they don't linger.

 

[Gunny]

just when you think the idiots can't get more idiotic...

There seems to be nothing the Repubs won't try to disinfranchise the voters. They've won two elections that way... it's all they know how to do...

I have no doubt this will be ruled unconstitutional...you can't tell people what to wear to the polls.

You mean like calling dead voters dead? Or actually having the live ones follow the administrative rules?

Odd how the Democrats wanted to circumvent the administrative rules in Dade and Broward counties when it comes to properly registering then turned right aound and screwed Hillary out of Michigan and Florida in the primaries suddenly becoming sticklers for the rules. Isn't it?

That's in response to your generalizing, disparaging remark. My opinion as it applies specifically to a dress code, it better include Levi's, sandles and a tank top or they'll just lose my vote. Last time anyone told me what to where was the day I retired from the Marines. I intend it stay that way.

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

just when you think the idiots can't get more idiotic...

There seems to be nothing the Repubs won't try to disinfranchise the voters. They've won two elections that way... it's all they know how to do...

I have no doubt this will be ruled unconstitutional...you can't tell people what to wear to the polls.

Local law(?) here and when I lived in NV was no ""withing 100 feet of the door of the polling place. I guess next the neoCONS will be outside checking to make sure no one with an Obama sticker is parked too close, or drives through on that street.....

 

[Shattered]

Republicans, huh? Here, you can't wear anything that gives any indication whatsoever who you're voting for..