The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in federal court this week claiming that California is violating the First Amendment with their law blocking selfies in the ballot box. The judge rejected their suit, criticizing the ACLU for filing the lawsuit. California has not enforced the ban enacted 12 years ago and passed a new law allowing selfies that doesn’t go into effect until January of 2017. The ACLU said they just want clarity for the voters about their rights in the ballot box. (C/Net, November 2, 2016, by Terry Collins)
A New York election board lawyer testified in a federal court hearing that permitting selfies would clog polling places while voters took selfies, potentially discouraging other citizens from voting at all. (New York Post, November 1, 2016, by Lia Eustachewich)
A federal judge in Colorado is hearing ballot selfie lawsuits this week contesting a 1891 law that forbids showing your ballot to a third party. Last week, the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a Michigan ban on ballot box selfies. (Denver 7 ABC, November 1, 2016, by Blair Miller)
A Vox report revealed that in 21 states and the District of Columbia it is legal to take a selfie. In 16 other states, it is illegal while in 13 states including California it is unclear if it is illegal or not. With judge’s ruling in California, you can move the state into the illegal column. (Vox, October 25, 2016, by Zachary Crockett)