Election: what not to wear

In the final days before the election, it seems like students can’t turn a corner without seeing Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin shirts, pins, bumper stickers, caps and even dog sweaters. Cell phones can even be set to ring in the voice of the candidates.

On Nov. 4, however, all paraphernalia must be put away while voting is in progress, or at least within 40 feet of the polls.

Kirk Showalter, the general registrar in Richmond, said, “The Code of Virginia, which is enacted by the General Assembly, has had this provision for as long as I can remember.”

The provision states voters may not display or exhibit campaign materials within 40 feet or inside of a polling place.

“The polling place is a neutral area where there is no campaigning or soliciting anyone’s votes,” Showalter said. “It’s a place where the voters should be able to go and not feel pushed for one candidate or another.”

On Election Day, election officers will ask people to leave campaign material outside the perimeters of the polls.

Recently, the State Board of Elections clarified exactly what constitutes campaign paraphernalia.

“Anything with a candidate’s name on it is campaigning material. It could be T-shirts, pants, jackets, hats, buttons, whatever,” Showalter said.

Showalter says these items will not prohibit people from voting.

“We are asking at the polls for people to cover up if they have a jacket on, or if they have a button on, to take it off and put it in their pocket or purse,” Showalter said.
“If you have a hat on, just take it off. If it’s a T-shirt, go in the restroom and just turn it inside out.”

If none of the above options can be met, electoral officers will have physician’s gowns to place over anything in question.

Chief electoral officers Vallere Tann and Ethel Jenkins said they will make sure the election is run fairly.

“What people do outside of the precinct is one thing,” Tann said. “Inside of the precinct, you are not allowed to sway anyone in any way.”

Tann says enforcing the paraphernalia law will be more of a challenge Tuesday than it has been in past elections.

“So many people apparently are buying so many shirts this year and that sort of thing is something that we have never seen before,” Tann said.

On Election Day, the law against wearing political paraphernalia to the polls will be a focus for poll workers in light of a large, new generation of voters who might not be aware of the law.

“This year is going to be crucial to all voters and everyone needs to follow the law,” Jenkins said.

One thing voters may bring into the polls, however, is sample ballots, which are often distributed by campaign workers. If voters have them, they will be asked to take the sample ballots out as they leave.

Cell phones may not be used in voting areas either.

“We never really had to enforce it because people knew better, but now that there is this newer generation of voters, the old laws kind of got lost,” Jenkins said.