Editorial | Let them wear shirts

Election officials shouldn't be fashion police.

Thanks to vaguely defined state laws banning "passive electioneering" in the polling booth, some counties in Pennsylvania plan to prevent voters from wearing campaign buttons or t-shirts when they cast their vote.

Luckily, most Philadelphia election authorities don't plan to enforce the provision, but surrounding regions might ask voters to change clothing or turn campaign shirts inside-out.

The ban simply doesn't make sense. Pennsylvania should clarify state rules to prevent county officials from banning passive electioneering at the voting booth.

States rightfully prohibit active campaigning inside polling places to ensure that voters feel comfortable making their decision. We understand how someone chanting campaign slogans or passing out flyers next to a voting booth could exert inappropriate influence on voters.

But wearing a McCain or Obama T-shirt isn't the same thing as active campaigning. It's an individual expression of opinion that can't - and shouldn't - be regulated by the state.

Where would this regulation end? Would counties allow buttons with party logos or political opinions? In 2004 because of passive electioneering rules, officials in Arlington, Texas even banned voters from wearing Dallas Cowboys gear because one of the provisions on the ballot was funding for a Cowboys stadium.

The ban could also have a far more dangerous effect on voter turnout levels by serving as a deterrent to first-time voters unfamiliar with county election rules.

Pennsylvania has enough arcane regulations. It's time to put this one to rest.

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