Judge Lets Ban on Ballot Selfies Remain in New York State

A federal judge says he is not overturning a New York state ban against so-called "ballot selfies" or the showing of a marked election ballot to others.

Manhattan Judge P. Kevin Castel said in a written ruling Thursday that people who want to publicize their ballot choices can do so through "other powerful means."

The ruling came in a response to a lawsuit brought on behalf of voters. The lawsuit contended that voters had a First Amendment right to share a photograph of their ballot with others, often through social media.

Lawyers for the state and New York City argued against it. The state argued that a law more than a century old banned people from showing their marked ballot to others.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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