Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Daniel Ortner
“When it comes to politics, people say talk is cheap. But your vote is as valuable as it gets. It’s no wonder that ‘ballot selfies’ — pictures of a voter posing with their completed ballots — have become so popular. Millions of Americans have taken ballot selfies and shared them on social media to show their family, friends, and neighbors exactly how they voted and much more. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take Raleigh native Susan Hogarth, who took a ballot selfie during the primary election in March. With a single picture posted to social media, Susan expressed her pride in participating in the electoral process, invited others to consider voting for third-party candidates, and encouraged voters to get out the vote. All of those messages are political speech protected by the First Amendment. But in North Carolina, taking ballot selfies is a crime.” (09/09/24)