Caveat voter -- let the voter beware?
Americans are heading to the voting booths to cast their ballots this Election Day, and inevitably expressing their picks at the polls on social-networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But let the voter beware: Documenting your ballot could get you in trouble with the law.
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada and Texas expressly prohibit the use of photographic and recording equipment inside polling places, the Citizen Media Law Project’s Web site states.
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“Election laws are serious business – you could be removed from the polling place and even subject to criminal penalties,” warns the Citizen Media Law Project’s Web site.
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Before you pull your smartphone out of your pocket at your polling station, consult the site to see if your state allows recording inside polling places.
A voter in North Carolina, reportedly took his smartphone out to check his list of chosen candidates, only to have his device taken from him due to a state law that makes it illegal to take photos of completed ballots, WRAL.com reported.
State laws are even stricter in Wisconsin, where it is considered to be election fraud -- a Class I felony -- to post completed ballot pics to Facebook or Twitter, AllThingsD reported.
Laws vary significantly state by state, so it may be best to air on the side of caution and have a private voting moment in the booth, with your devices safely tucked away.
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