The GOP has not given up the ridiculous fight over whether a voter in PA is allowed to wear a campaign button or a shirt with their candidate's name on it while they vote. Two Republican officials sued in Commonwealth Court to seek a ban. The State Republican Party endorsed that lawsuit.
We thought the issue had been ended when the PA. Department of State's Commissioner of Elections (the top elections official) sent a letter to all counties in PA. telling them to not turn away voters for simply wearing a button or a shirt promoting their candidate. "Active" campaigning inside a polling place is still prohibited, but simply wearing a button or shirt is considered "passive." Many Republican-controlled counties had said they would ignore that letter, but most have recently said they will allow political clothing.
UPDATE: Judge rules on attire at polls
AP October 31, 2008
"A Pennsylvania state judge Thursday effectively left it up to the counties to decide if voters can wear partisan attire to the polls and refused to clamp down on the voter registration group ACORN as the state Republican Party had sought."
So far, I found that Monroe Carbon County says they will ban any political clothing.
The ACLU and the PA. Democratic Party say it is an attempt to intimidate voters, especially younger first time voters. It could particularly be an issue in a polling place with long lines (which often happens near colleges), if a person has to leave to change their shirt just as they are ready to vote, or if they don't have time to go home and change.
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Here's the State's letter:
http://www.aclupa.org/...
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Here's excerpts from a recent AP news article on the issue:
http://www.dailyamerican.com/...
"Douglas Hill, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said he had no hard numbers but that he believes the 67 counties are now ENVENLY split on the question.
...state elections commissioner Chet Harhut ...stressed the importance of not depriving citizens of their right to vote and said local officials should allow voters to wear partisan attire "if such electioneering remains passive and the voter takes no additional action to attempt to influence other voters."
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Several counties in PA., such as York, Centre, Berks and Lehigh, said recently they will not kick out voters for simply wearing a political button, hat or shirt.
In Monroe County (and unknown others), it may be valuable for elections protection volunteers to keep a couple extra large plain T-shirts handy in case someone is turned away.