North Carolina Elections Rumor Control: Wearing Obama T-shirt will not get you blocked from voting

proceed to vote in a orderly and timely manner, and do not attempt to electioneer
within the voting place. A voter wearing a t-shirt saying "Vote for X"
that shouts "vote for X" or places his T-shirt in the sightline of voters
asking support for "X" is obviously electioneering and will be asked to
refrain from the conduct at once, and if they continue will be removed.

A voter that has a political cap, T-shirt, or button and does not electioneer within
the polling place will be allowed to vote in a normal matter. A voter wearing a
political item does not violate GS 163-166.4

                                          Don Wright
                                          General Counsel


§ 163 166.4.  Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around
it.
(a)       Buffer Zone and Adjacent Area for Election Related Activity. - No person
or group of persons shall hinder access, harass others, distribute campaign literature,
place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election related
activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone which shall be prescribed by the
county board of elections around the voting place. In determining the dimensions
of that buffer zone for each voting place, the county board of elections shall,
where practical, set the limit at 50 feet from the door of entrance to the voting
place, measured when that door is closed, but in no event shall it set the limit
at more than 50 feet or at less than 25 feet. Except as provided in subsection (b),
the county board of elections shall also provide an area adjacent to the buffer
zone for each voting place in which persons or groups of persons may distribute
campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage
in election related activity.
(b)       Special Agreements About Election Related Activity. - The Executive Director
of the State Board of Elections may grant special permission for a county board
of elections to enter into an agreement with the owners or managers of a nonpublic
building to use the building as a voting place on the condition that election related
activity as described in subsection (a) of this section not be permitted on their
property adjacent to the buffer zone, if the Executive Director finds all of the
following:
(1)       That no other suitable voting place can be secured for the precinct.
(2)       That the county board will require the chief judge of the precinct to
monitor the grounds around the voting place to ensure that the restriction on election
related activity shall apply to all candidates and parties equally.
(3)       That the pattern of voting places subject to agreements under this subsection
does not disproportionately favor any party, racial or ethnic group, or candidate.
An agreement under this subsection shall be valid for as long as the nonpublic building
is used as a voting place.
(c)       Notice About Buffer Zone. - No later than 30 days before each election,
the county board of elections shall make available to the public the following information
concerning each voting place:
(1)       The door from which the buffer zone is measured.
(2)       The distance the buffer zone extends from that door.
(3)       Any available information concerning where political activity, including
sign placement, is permitted beyond the buffer zone.
(d)       Buffer Zone at One Stop Sites. - The provisions of this section shall
apply to one stop voting sites in G.S. 163 227.2, except that the notice in subsection
(c) of this section shall be provided no later than 10 days before the opening of
one stop voting at the site. (2001 460, s. 3; 2003 365, s. 1; 2007 391, s. 13.)

-----Original Message-----
From: Joyce McCloy
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:08 PM
To: Don Wright
Subject: electioneering question

North Carolina State Board of Elections
Don Wright, General Counsel

Dear Don;

Can you clear something up for me.

Is there a restriction against voters wearing t-shirts, hats etc to the
polls, while voting - that bears the likeness of a political candidate
or in other ways shows support for a candidate?

There are several rumors about this circulating around the state and I also
heard discussion on a radio show.
Some rumors say that you won't be allowed in the voting area if you wear
such attire, or that you won't get to vote unless
you change clothes etc.

None of these rumors are substantiated in any way by citing NC law.

Please advise.


Regards;

Joyce McCloy
NC Coalition for Verified Voting
www.ncvoter.net