With the 2016 presidential election only months away, it will be the first time many of us will vote in a presidential election. Regardless of whether you want to “Make America Great Again” or say, “I’m With Her,” you’ll really feel left out if you don’t vote in this election. Don’t you want to be proud and say, “I voted in a presidential election?” But, are you also tempted to take a selfie in the voting booth so you can tell all your friends, “I voted?”
Well, in certain states, you might not be allowed to do this. According to NBC News, 26 states have a law against taking selfies in the voting booth, including New York, California, and Florida. However, on September 13th, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston considered ballot selfies either a violation of free speech or a way to combat voter fraud.
According to MSNBC, Snapchat is one of the many groups calling for an end to the ban of ballot selfies after issuing a statement against the state of New Hampshire in April. Back in September 2014, New Hampshire passed a law fining those who take a selfie at a polling booth of up to $1,000. Snapchat argued taking selfies at the polls would, “engage young voters with the political process and show their civic pride.” A month later, a New Hampshire resident sued for violation of his free speech after posting a photo of his ballot with his dog’s name on it on social media. In August 2015, U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro declared the law unconstitutional. The case has now made it’s way to the circuit courts. But, the question still remains: Is taking a selfie at a voting booth considered a violation of free speech?
I think you should be allowed to say who you’re voting for in the presidential election and be proud of that vote. It’s freedom of speech. However, the selfie thing is a little too much. Our society is getting overly crazy with selfies. We live in a society where we take selfies because we feel that we have to document everything on social media for the world to see.
Taking a selfie at the polls isn’t really a violation of free speech. Some states may think it is, but others might not. In fact, the state of Utah passed a bill allowing ballot selfies in March 2015. The ballot selfie to is just millennials taking advantage of the internet. If someone wants to a selfie at the polls, it’s fine. If they don’t, they don’t.