Call me weird, but I love voting. There’s something about actually and filling out a ballot, knowing that I (kinda, sorta) participated in democracy. It makes me feel proud of myself. Plus, they give you a sticker now too!
It never occurred to me to take a selfie while voting, though, which turned out to be a good thing too, since, in many states, that would actually be illegal. Who knew?
Turns out this is also something of a contentious issue, and one that is up in the air right now in New Hampshire. Last year a federal judge struck down a 2005 law that had banned taking any photos or videos inside of a voting booth, with a $1,000 fine for violators. The decision is now being appealed by the state. Fear not, though, as at least one major social network has the back of the selfiers!
Snapchat filed an amicus brief last week, arguing in favor of removing the ban, arguing that the law is a violation of free speech.
“Political coverage is a big part of the Snapchat experience,” the company wrote, citing its “Live Stories” feature, where Snapchat users can submit their video and photos, allowing the apps editors to use them to tell the story of an event.
“Snapchat’s Live Stories often go behind the scenes at political events, showing backstage moments and closed-door gatherings from which traditional media are shut out,” Snapchat wrote.
“Most relevant for present purposes, the Live Stories also go into the voting booth itself: Snapchat’s news team has received thousands of photo and video ‘Snaps’ submitted by users from inside voting booths. Snapchat has published some of these Snaps as relevant and important parts of the organization’s political news coverage.”
Therefore, a law like the one proposed in New Hampshire would “impose real restrictions on expression and newsgathering as they have evolved in the 21st century.”
Selfies, the company went on to argue, also helps to engage younger voters in the political process.
The argument in favor of the ban is that allowing people to take photos inside the election booth can lead to potential voting fraud, and coercion. But, Snapchat argues against this line of thinking, citing both campaign buttons that people wear, and the “I Voted” stickers they give out.
“A ballot selfie—like a campaign button—is a way to express support for or against a cause or a candidate. And because it is tangible proof of how a voter has voted, a ballot selfie is a uniquely powerful form of political expression,” it says in the brief.
Many other states have also banned such practices. In fact, the Huffington Post put together a list of all the states, and their laws surrounding photos in the ballot box. Most states outlaw any kind of ballot photography, without only New Hampshire (thanks to the overturning of that law), New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington and Wymoming allowing it. So eight states out of 50.
“Whether it’s a campaign button or a selfie from the ballot box, Snapchat believes that expressing participation in the democratic process is an important part of free speech and civic engagement that the First Amendment roundly protects,” a Snapchat spokesperson told VatorNews about why the company filed this brief.
The selfie generation
While taking a selfie in the voting booth might seem silly, and like a silly thing to fight over, frankly, it is far from the worst kind of selfie.
There was a trend among young drivers a few years of turning their camera on themselves while their car is moving. And I thought nothing could be worse than texting while driving. Hopefully people stopped doing this, but I feel like they probably still are.
Then there were the less potentially homicidal, yet equally as annoying types of seflies, including Selfies at Serious Places, which is exactly what it sounds like, only worse, because “serious places” means concentration camps and Chernobyl.
And then there are bookshelfies, or a selfie taken in front of your bookshelf so that everyone could see how well-read you were.
Then there was the guy who tried to take a selfie with a rattlesnake. Remember him? Of course it bit him, and his arm wound up looking like this:
