MELISSA PHILLIP CHRONICLE "Every time I talk about it, my blood boils," says Ginger Hurley, who was almost barred from voting because a poll worker thought her T-shirt, which she bought on vacation last summer, was too political.
Posted on 11/04/2008 3:14:25 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Ginger Hurley could not have picked Sarah Palin out of a sea of hockey moms when she vacationed in Alaska this June.
....The 40-year-old Houston Realtor was wearing one of her souvenir T-shirts when she went to cast her ballot at a Cypress polling place Oct. 26. A poll worker told her she would have to change the shirt if she wanted to vote.
Hurley, who votes in every election, is familiar with poll site etiquette. She knows not to wear campaign paraphernalia...
What, she asked, was wrong with her light blue cotton T-shirt, emblazoned with a moose head, fishing poles, and the words "Seward, Alaska"?
The word "Alaska," a poll worker answered.
"She said it could be misconstrued as support for a candidate," Hurley said.
She argued with the poll worker, but neither one backed down. The worker told Hurley she could go into the bathroom and flip her shirt inside-out. She even offered duct tape to cover the offending word. Hurley refused. Finally, outraged, she stormed out of the polling place.
"I couldn't believe she wouldn't let me vote because of my vacation T-shirt," Hurley said this week. "Every time I talk about it, my blood boils."
Cooler heads prevailed in the parking lot, and a campaign volunteer urged Hurley to check with the precinct judge overseeing the polling site.
The judge took a look at the shirt and let her vote. She didn't even need duct tape.
But Hurley said she felt unnecessarily harassed by the poll worker. Hurley did vote for the candidate from Alaska, but she said that had nothing to do with her choice of attire.
"I felt like I was being singled out," she said. "I don't think they would have given it a second look if it were a Delaware T-shirt."..
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
That’s odd.
I spray-painted a hammer and a sickle onto a white t-shirt and wore it in.
A Democrat stopped me and asked if they could give me a ride to a another polling place where I could vote again no questions asked.
Who cares if it is political or not..? Looks like the First Amendment is toast.
They’re going to love the t-shirt I wear to the polls today. The front says “No Way, No How, NOBAMA” While the back shows Mickey Mouse hollering “Hey Obama” while he flips the bird.
LMAO :)
The Dems are acting desperate.
And this is the mentality of the people who are trusted to process our votes properly? Whew!
You now can’t wear a shirt that has the name of the home state a candidate?
Here in Florida you can cover yourself from head to toe with campaign material as long as you don’t activly campaign inside the polling area.
I thought this was allowed everywhere.
On the way down I'll be kissing up and thanking Mister Barack for helping us get out to vote. On the way home I'll flip-flop, hehehehehe! And of course they'll see the Dodge Durango SUV and Chevy sitting in my driveway.
I'm such a jerk!
prisoner6
I agree with you totally. It’s not like she’s handing out Palin literature or anything...
During early voting, the clerk's office got a report of a woman who showed up to a polling place in west Harris County wearing an Obama T-shirt. She was told she could cover the shirt up, turn it inside out, or not wear it. She chose not to wear it, and voted in her bra.
Poll site etiquette? What kind of absolote B.S. is this? I'll wear a t-shirt that tells every democrat to shove it up their ass and still vote, what is wrong with these people?
Just back from casting my vote. I wore a black jacket to the polls. Whew, I’m glad they still let me vote.
She’s a hottie, she should have yanked the “offending” shirt off and voted in the altogether. Now THAT would have gotten coverage!
That's true, but mostly because the majority of people couldn't pick Delaware out of a "police lineup" of states.
No you’re a patriot!
In regards to free speech...one thing we DO know about Hussein is that he never stands up for people who are being attacked, he just doesn’t care you can tell. So if he gets elected and someone’s rights are taken away he won’t lift a finger. Remember he threw a LOT of people including his Grandmother under that bus.
That’s a disgrace, but not unusual.
DO NOT LET THE LIBERALS & DEMS PUSH US AROUND! We had an incident at one of our early polling locations. If you are harrassed by a poll worker because of what you are wearing, you should make a HUGE STINK and complain and tell everyone you know. FORCE THEM TO LET YOU VOTE! Don’t let them intimidate you. Of course we need to keep in mind the anti-electioneering laws, however in this case, the poll worker was COMPLETELY wrong for harrassing this woman.
I am wearing RED RED RED tomorrow. They can’t say anything to me, but it is a subliminal message of my support for the Republican candidate. I was considering wearing my WE WILL NOT SURRENDER TO TERRORISTS t-shirt that the Fight For Victory Tour was selling a couple summers ago. But...I think just wearing RED everything will be enough of a statement and I won’t get thrown out for wearing it. It’s VERY TEMPTING though! haha
I’ve been in the election judging business for 14 years. I run into some version of this nearly every election. This poll worker was clearly overboard. The electioneering statute is plain as to candidte related stuff.
Technically, I shouldn’t let voters with bumper stickers park within 100’! On that one I take the position I am too busy running a pooling place to police the parking lot.
Few years back I did have to step outside to resolve a beef. One candidate had parked a pickup with a 4x8 sign in the bed; 108 feet from the door.
Buttons and such can be removed. For such as this, not every voter keeps a copy of Texas Election code. I bring to the polls: a hundred foot tape; a light jacket I can loan to voters who do show up with candidate t-shirts; a copy of Election Code; and most importantly, a week’s supply of patience.
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