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Can you take a voting selfie in Ohio? Why is it illegal?

Umito November 1, 2024

It’s second nature if you’re active on social media. You voted and you want to share with the world that you fulfilled your civic duty.

Don’t do it with a voting selfie. You would be breaking Ohio law. Here’s why.

Are voting selfies against the law in Ohio?

In Ohio, it is illegal to take a voting selfiea photo of your ballot. However, it is very unlikely that you will be prosecuted for this.

Taking a photo of a completed ballot is a fifth-degree felony in Ohio. He faces a fine of $2,500 and up to one year in prison. However, there is no record of Ohio enforcing the law, the Cincinnati Enquirer previously reported.

Why is it illegal to take a photo of your completed ballot?

Lawmakers banned photos of completed ballots in 1997the Columbus Dispatch previously reported. For what? Fears of election interference and voter intimidation.

Lawmakers worried that employers, friends or others could force people to vote a certain way by requiring voters to show photos of their completed ballot to prove how they voted.

Nearly 20 years later, the law may seem archaic, the Enquirer previously reportedand may constitute a violation of the First Amendment. A federal court in New Hampshire ruled that a similar ban on photographing a ballot violated voters’ rights to free speech.

Can I take a photo of my friend voting?

Yes. It’s something candidates do all the time, according to a previous Enquirer report. Just don’t put their ballot in the photo.

Can I wear a campaign T-shirt or hat to vote?

No. You are not allowed to campaign or try to influence another person’s vote within 100 feet of a voting location. So, you cannot wear hats, T-shirts, buttons or any other paraphernalia supporting a candidate when voting. Election officials may ask you to cover your campaign shirt with a jacket or turn it inside out.