Death of the First Amendment

[CalicoPenn]

I've been hesitant to reply because I can't remember what state this occurred in but very recently, within the last couple of weeks, a court ruled in a case from the primary season that individual voters wearing political buttons, stickers, hats, t-shirts, can not be turned away from the polls or forced to remove such items before voting - that electioneering rules don't apply to an individual who is in their own voting precinct and is legitimately there to vote.

 

These things are starting to hit the courts. We'll see what happens.

 

Calico

[Gold Winger]

That will just create a new mess. Supporters will go to vote at 8 AM and then hang out in the hallway and chat with each other for four or five hours.

[AlFansome]

 

There's a very good synopsis of the current do's and don'ts in the 100 foot zone in California at:

 

http://www.co.solano.ca.us/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=4091

 

It's straight from the Secretary of State and references a few court cases that are relevant, including the Supreme Court case that allows the 100 foot zone in the first place.

 

In short, anything you wear in California is OK as long as it's not specifically for or against a candidate or issue on the current ballot. For instance, a T-shirt that says "Down with liberals" would be OK since it's not specifically for or against a particular candidate or ballot issue.

 

Of course, how Joe the (sort-of) Plumber who mans that polling booth would deal with it may be another story entirely.

 

 

 

[packsaddle]

Regarding the flag thing, way back when I was a scout in the '60s, my Presbyterian church would not allow the American Flag or any uniform with the flag on it, into the church. They cited the separation concept and prohibited any symbol of any government to enter the church. I still wonder at that.