I thought you could not take an iPhone into a voting place. Guess not?

I can't imagine a problem in most states, because it's just not something state statutes ever foresaw.

Back when I lived in Texas, I was quite surprised when I was told that Texas law forbade taking any preprinted materials into the voting booth. Handwritten lists of judges were OK, though. Apparently this was to forbid voting based on palmcards handed out by parties or unions, something we in Chicago have no problem with.

Aw Samantha, you used the “V” word. This thread is going to get cornfeilded to the other side to protect the sensitive amongst us…

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=wr=

It depends on your state, Suzanne. In many places, you can't bring electronics into the voting booth. In part, this is to protect against people photographing their completed ballots in order to 'prove' their vote to someone else. Your polling place should have rules posted.

Also - in most locations, you can bring voting materials (flyers, notes, endorsements) into the voting booth. So, if you'd be using your phone to remind you how to vote, just write yourself a note instead.

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

Not an issue in my state; folks photograph the ballot counter all the time to post the tally, typically on social media.

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mrbigstuff
Not an issue in my state; folks photograph the ballot counter all the time to post the tally, typically on social media.

Sorry - I should have been clearer in my post. I didn't mean that you couldn't have a phone inside the polling place, but that you often can't have it out when you are in the voting booth, while actively voting. People photograph and post the public vote tallies regularly, but that's different from photographing your personal ballot.

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

It's been quite awhile since I've voted in person, but in "the old days" I/we used to take the sample ballot in the booth w/ us, and use it as a guide. That was before iPhones were born, and in the interim we've only been to the polling place to drop off completed absentee ballots, and haven't gotten beyond the front desk.

I can't imagine there being a problem here w/ taking a pic of your own ballot, but I imagine there would be a big problem if you pointed your device to take a picture of other people.
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I still vote in person. No issues here bringing your phone, although I've never tried taking a picture with it. They also allow you to bring a sample ballot with you. I am registered as NPA, and I carefully research each candidate's positions, so I often vote for people from both major parties. There are also usually a lot of non-partisan elections (school board, utilities board, etc), and also several state constitutional amendments to vote on. There's no way I could memorize each one.

Oh, also, I didn't have an issue a couple of years ago taking my then-10-year-old son into the little voting cubby with me so he could see what voting was like. I plan to vote in person next month. I don't think I need to explain why.

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Buzz
I can't imagine there being a problem here w/ taking a pic of your own ballot.
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Traditionally that's been a big issue because it could facilitate coercion. People who were coerced into voting a certain way would be required to take a photo of their ballot to provide proof to the person doing the coercion that they voted the way they were told to.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

One of the really nice things I learned after moving to Oregon was how backwards the rest of the country was as regards to voting. I had just assumed it was a pain and that going to a polling place was what one had to do. Nope. In Oregon, they mail you your ballot well ahead of the deadline, you can research your options/people/positions and complete the ballot at your leisure. You can mail it back or drop it off at a number of locations. Now I even vote in the weird, limited local elections. They also automatically register you to vote via the DMV. The whole system is a tremendous time saver and seems logical and normal. I can't believe there is any controversy, from either side. I don't miss work, I fill out by ballot thoughtfully, and it just makes sense. Now if we could just get rid of daylight savings time.

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davester

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Buzz
I can't imagine there being a problem here w/ taking a pic of your own ballot.
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Traditionally that's been a big issue because it could facilitate coercion. People who were coerced into voting a certain way would be required to take a photo of their ballot to provide proof to the person doing the coercion that they voted the way they were told to.

Yeah, I got hammered in the PM's about that, too. It didn't even cross my mind until it was brought to my attention. Other than the < year I lived in "the Valley", since being of voting age, I've always lived in the nicer parts of the westside of the L.A. area and have never seen, or heard of such practices around here. Since that is a NIMBY issue personally, I was thinking along the lines of kids & iPhones being OK in the local voting booths. Oops, my bad.
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.....did the iPhone register to vote.....???

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Would they really search you and confiscate it? Put it in your pocket, how would they know? Though in my experience those ladies running the polls are so old they might not know what an iPhone is...