Election workers remind voters in New Jersey they're not allowed to wear political insignia at the polls
New Jersey election workers are reminding voters they are not allowed to wear any political insignia to the polls on Election Day.
State law prohibits anyone from wearing anything to a voting location that references a candidate, a slogan or an issue.
"It's just to protect and keep the polling place a free place for everyone," Sarah Napper, the Camden County Board of Elections Republican administrator said. "That way, no one party is represented more than another. We just stay neutral."
It can be as simple as a hat or shirt embroidered with the slogan "Make America Great Again," or more elaborate, such as the cloak and bonnet from "The Handmaid's Tale," a novel and TV show critiquing conservative trends, which Nellie McFadden, the Camden County Board of Elections Democrat administrator, said a woman wore when she came to vote early at Gloucester Township.
"We asked her to please remove it. She had no problem," McFadden said. "She removed it. She voted and left."
McFadden and Napper said they'll ask voters wearing political insignia to leave any hats or buttons in the car and turn their shirts inside-out or wear a coat over it.
They said so far during New Jersey's early voting period this year, voters have been compliant.
"I think it's very important. We don't want anyone feeling intimidated in the polling place," Napper said. "We want everyone to be able to come in and vote."
Delaware has a similar law, but Pennsylvania does not have a law governing what voters can wear to the polls.
CBS News Philadelphia spoke to voters at a Gloucester Township shopping center who have mixed feelings about the laws.
"If there's a cap on what you can wear, then just wear jeans and a T-shirt if that makes everybody happy," Floss Sypsomos said. "But for me, I would definitely wear for the candidate that I'm voting for."
"It's an in-and-out thing. It's a respectable thing. You already know what your decision is," Claudia Martiello said. "You already know who you want so either way, your attire, I really don't feel needs to be on display that night."
