Be Excited to Vote You Just Can’t Take a Selfie While in the Booth
November 8 is election day. There are some big items to cast your vote on that day or during early voting. We'll also see a slew of selfies from voters in their car with the "I Voted" sticker on their shirt. That type of selfie is okay to do when it comes to voting. However, there is one type of selfie that is illegal to take while you are casting your ballot.
As Much as I Loathe Politics, I Do Vote
I loathe politics. I hate talking about it. I'm baffled that people constantly want to bring it up. I think its absolutely useless to talk about politics. Why? Because you're voting on a group of people that do nothing but lie to our face and pose behind a podium to make themselves look good for supporting or trashing whatever hot topic is in the news. Having said that, I do vote. I try to make the best decision from the selection of evils in front of me and hopefully someone will surprise me. Probably not but I do try.
What You Can Not Do While Voting
For those that do get super excited about voting, there is one thing you CAN NOT do while casting your ballot in Texas, taking a selfie while in the voting booth. Yes, it is illegal and you could face some penalties for it.
This is from section 61 of Texas election code:
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1182 (H.B. 556), Sec. 3, eff. June 15, 2007.
Sec. 61.014. USE OF CERTAIN DEVICES. (a) A person may not use a wireless communication device within 100 feet of a voting station.
(b) A person may not use any mechanical or electronic means of recording images or sound within 100 feet of a voting station.
(c) The presiding judge may require a person who violates this section to turn off the device or to leave the polling place.
(d) This section does not apply to:
(1) an election officer in conducting the officer's official duties;
(2) the use of election equipment necessary for the conduct of the election; or
(3) a person who is employed at the location in which a polling place is located while the person is acting in the course of the person's employment.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 697 (H.B. 1921), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Renumbered from Election Code, Section 61.013 by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 27.001(12), eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 175 (H.B. 1493), Sec. 1, eff. May 27, 2009.
While a penalty is not listed, you could be contacted by authorities for taking and posting a selfie while in the voting booth on social media. Get out and vote in early voting or on November 8 and show off that you voted after you're back in your car.