Judge says that voters can wear Tea Party t-shirts inside polling places

Judge says that voters can wear Tea Party t-shirts inside polling places

2010-11-02 07:01:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) -- A Maricopa county judge on Monday said that voters will be allowed to wear Tea Party t-shirts inside polling places in the upcoming 2010 general election.

According to the Arizona Republic, U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg made the announcement hours before polls opened for the general election. The ruling also applies to clothing representing other groups as long as it does not support or oppose a candidate on the ballot.

Last week, judge Teilborg issued a temporary injunction that allowed a Coconino County resident to wear apparel that supported the Tea Party. After that, Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne remarked that the ruling does not apply to any other kind of clothing than t-shirts.

"We're not singling out the tea party. This applies to anybody wearing anything that is campaigning," said the Maricopa County Elections Director.

If a voter shows up on election day wearing campaign-related apparel such as t-shirts, buttons, hats or stickers, he or she will be asked to remove it, cover it or turn it inside out.

The 2010 general election is scheduled to take place on Tuesday but the Tea Party is not an official political party in Arizona.

The Goldwater The Goldwater Institute, which is involved in the Coconino County lawsuit, sent Osborne a letter calling the county's decision not to allow tea party shirts that don't expressly advocate for or against someone or something on the ballot unreasonable and discriminatory.

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