Proposed state bill would allow selfies in the voting booth

COLUMBUS

Voters would be allowed to take pictures of themselves casting ballots and showing their picks for president and other offices, under legislation introduced Tuesday in the Ohio House.

The activity technically is illegal in Ohio, though the law isn’t actively being enforced.

“If people are going to post a picture of their ballot, it shouldn’t be a felony,” said Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, who joined Rep. Mike Duffey, R-Westerville, in offering House Bill 609.

Ohio Revised Code generally bars voters from showing their ballots to others “with the apparent intention of letting it be known how the elector is about to vote.” (There are exceptions for those helping disabled or illiterate voters.)

Josh Eck, a spokesman for Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted, said the section of state law that covers the issue was enacted before the current social media environment.

“This law was written before the age of selfies and social media, so it’s clear lawmakers did not intend to limit anyone’s free speech, but instead protect voters from intimidation,” he said in a statement. “The secretary does not believe posting a photo of your vote on social media is a problem and would not have an issue with the Legislature making that clarification in law. He does still recommend boards of elections consult their county prosecutor in the meantime as they would be responsible for enforcing the statute as it currently reads.”

Read more about the matter in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.