RALEIGH — True or false: If you wear a T-shirt, button, hat or any other piece of clothing or accessory that contains political campaign paraphernalia, you’ll be prohibited from entering a polling place and voting.
Completely and utterly false.
The organizers of Democracy North Carolina, a non-profit organization advocating for increased voter participation and education, spoke to the attorney of the N.C. State Board of Elections about the rapidly spreading internet rumor.
“This is a false rumor that is growing like wildfire,” Board of Elections attorney Don Wright told the group via email. “Of course it is false.”
According to Wright, the rumor originated from comments made during the Steve Harvey Radio show.
Wright continued, “A voter may enter a voting place to vote wearing political items as long as they proceed to vote in an orderly and timely manner and do not attempt to electioneer within the voting place. A voter wearing a T-shirt saying “Vote for X” who 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.”
Looks like this myth is solved.