At Metropolis Hall in Orange on Election Day, a woman waiting in line to vote was asked past a poll worker to remove her plain pink chapeau, reminiscent — though non identical — to those worn during the Women's March in Jan 2017.

The woman, who also was wearing a "Nasty Woman" T-shirt, removed the chapeau, admitting reluctantly.

While the poll worker has some discretion to remove electioneering information at the polling station, his asking to have a plain hat removed was off the mark. State law indicates statements worn by voters generally must be specific to a candidate or a proposed police.

A Trump supporter holds up his "Make America Great Again" hat in front of the Riverside Convention Middle where the Unite IE Conservative Conference was held on Lord's day, April 8, 2018. (Stan Lim, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

The U.Due south. Supreme Court in June struck down a Minnesota law that banned voters from wearing T-shirts, hats and buttons expressing political views at polling places. The courtroom, in a 7-ii vote, essentially said the laws in that state were too broad.

Chief Justice John Roberts said states remain free to decide that "some forms of advancement should be excluded from the polling identify," he wrote. At the time, Roberts cited more than focused laws in California and Texas, the New York Times reported.

California law is indeed more specific and includes certain limits on messaging at the polls.

According to the office of Alex Padilla, secretary of state of California'due south Elections Sectionalisation, electioneering at polling places comes downward to  "the visible display or audible dissemination of information that advocates for or against any candidate or measure on the election inside 100 feet of a polling place, a vote center, an elections official'south office, or a satellite location …"

Sound a niggling jargony to y'all? Here are some specific examples provided by the land:

When I went into my polling berth, I noticed a fiddling pencil with a candidate'south name on it urging voters to exist sure and mark the box for him. Can they practice that?

No, it is illegal to take items with a candidate's name on them in the polling identify. This constitutes electioneering and whatever electioneering must exist conducted a minimum of 100 feet from the place where people are voting. Sometimes, a voter inadvertently leaves such materials in the voting booth.

A lady working at my polling place final Ballot Day was wearing a T-shirt that said "Downwardly with Liberals" on it. Can she article of clothing that?

Considering such a T-shirt doesn't actually advocate voting for or against a detail candidate or mensurate, information technology's non considered electioneering. If the shirt had a statement for or against something or someone on the ballot, it would non be allowed within 100 feet of the polls. If the elections official is enlightened of the state of affairs, he or she volition likely request that the woman cover it up or change into something that does not crusade the slightest advent of partisanship.

Hither are land rules for electioneering nigh a polling place. Showtime, no electioneering within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling identify. Prohibited materials and data include, just are not limited to:

  • A display of a candidate's name, likeness or logo
  • A display of a ballot measure's number, title, subject area or logo
  • Buttons, hats, pencils, pens, shirts, signs, or stickers containing data about candidates or issues on the ballot
  • Any audible broadcasting of information about candidates or measures on the election
  • Loitering well-nigh or disseminating visible or audible electioneering data near a vote-by-postal service driblet box

Other codes of conduct include rules for individuals: No person, on Election Twenty-four hour period, or at whatsoever time that a voter may exist casting a ballot, shall, within 100 feet of a polling place or an elections official's function:

  • Circulate an initiative, referendum, think, or nomination petition or any other petition.
  • Solicit a vote or talk to a voter on how to mark his or her ballot.
  • Identify a sign relating to voters' qualifications or speak to a voter on the subject of his or her qualifications except equally provided in Section 14240.
  • Do any electioneering.

Other rules ban photography or video recording a voter entering or exiting a polling place.

Equally for those ballot box selfies? They're legal in California as long equally you lot're not violating whatever other laws while doing it.