Ohio voters have to watch what they wear to the polls

**Cincy Fan 44** Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:00 am

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/10/08/ddn100808pollwear.html

COLUMBUS — Before you stroll into your polling place Nov. 4, make sure you leave the Obama water bottle in the car, take off the McCain ball cap, cover up your Barack the Vote T-shirt, remove the McCain baby bib from the toddler you're carrying, and put that fashionable Palin tote bag in the trunk.

Ohio law prohibits "electioneering" within 100 feet of a polling place. That includes wearing political party or candidate buttons, stickers, T-shirts and other swag.

The law is designed to keep people from bugging voters when it's decision time.

"We've had everything," said Montgomery County GOP Chairman Greg Gantt. "I had somebody set up a big grill within the 100-foot line and was grilling ribs. With a plate of ribs, you got some campaign material. ... There is no campaigning inside the 100-foot line."

Voters will not be turned away but they will be asked to cover up a shirt or remove a button with a candidate name on it, said Jeff Ortega, spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Owens said that while voters are periodically asked to remove their partisan wear, he has flown under the radar on past election days. "I wear my lucky Democratic tie with donkeys on it," Owens said. This year he is voting absentee.

Kind of a stupid law if you ask me, but those with michigan university shirts should be turned away... Razz

Markwes Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:12 am

I'm pretty sure Indiana has a similar law. The fanatics, uh, I mean people, who are handing out the little buttons and such for their candidate usually tell you to make sure they are in your pocket or somewhere not visible to others before entering the polling area.

Guest Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:05 am

Markwes wrote:I'm pretty sure Indiana has a similar law. The fanatics, uh, I mean people, who are handing out the little buttons and such for their candidate usually tell you to make sure they are in your pocket or somewhere not visible to others before entering the polling area.

That is the law in Indiana too ... we tell men to turn shirts inside out and for women or some men we have poncho's for them to wear into the Board of Election when the vote.

sunny d Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:32 pm

I didnt know this was a law. Why is it when I walk into vote I am attacked by some candidate or another trying to give me stuff? Last year I voted at St. Francis and they were standing right outside the doors that went into the building. There is no way they were 100 ft away from the polling location/booth.
This is one thing that pisses me off. More often than not when they hand me something, I ask who they are then proceed to tell them they just lost my vote.

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Ohio voters have to watch what they wear to the polls

Ohio voters have to watch what they wear to the polls

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Re: Ohio voters have to watch what they wear to the polls

Re: Ohio voters have to watch what they wear to the polls