What To Wear To The Polls

September 28, 2008

WICHITA, Kan, (AP) - State election officials are reminding voters that they should keep their Obama T-shirts and McCain buttons at home when they go to vote on Election Day.

Kansas has one of the strictest laws in the nation against electioneering at the polls including specific guidelines about what not to wear. The law bans labels, signs, posters, stickers or other materials that identify a candidate in the election.

Although it's been state laws since 1974, voting-rights activists say the electioneering law has more significance this year because of an expected increase in first-time voters.

Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh said the outlawed items cannot be worn within 250 feet of the door of the polling place.

Text of Kansas' Electioneering Law

25-2430. Electioneering. (a) Electioneering is knowingly attempting to persuade or influence eligible voters to vote for or against a particular candidate, party or question submitted. Electioneering includes wearing, exhibiting or distributing labels, signs, posters, stickers or other materials that clearly identify a candidate in the election or clearly indicate support or opposition to a question submitted election within any polling place on election day or advance voting site during the time period allowed by law for casting a ballot by advance voting or within a radius of 250 feet from the entrance thereof. Electioneering shall not include bumper stickers affixed to a motor vehicle that is used to transport voters to a polling place or to an advance voting site for the purpose of voting.

(b) As used in this section, "advance voting site" means the central county election office or satellite advance voting sites designated as such pursuant to subsection (c) of K.S.A. 25-1122, and amendments thereto.

(c) Electioneering is a class C misdemeanor.

|

|

|