Vote and Take A Selfie With Your Ballot

Wisconsin voters could legally take selfies with their marked election ballots under a proposal up for approval in the state Senate today. Supporters of the measure call the current ban archaic, especially in an era in which voters are increasingly posting pictures of themselves with their marked ballots on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. But county election clerks warned last year that changing the law could open the door to undoing the secrecy of the ballot. The Wisconsin County Clerk Association registered against the bill. Clerks warned lawmakers that making it commonplace to show a marked ballot could lead to employers, unions or others forcing people to prove they voted a certain way to receive a benefit or avoid being punished. They also voiced concern about how people legally taking photos in a polling location could infringe on the confidentiality rights of other voters. Wisconsin is one of 18 states with a law barring the showing of a completed ballot, but it is rarely enforced.