The U.S. Supreme Court says it will take up a Minnesota case involving so called 'voter dress codes' which could affect what people can and cannot wear when they go to the polling place to vote, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The Justices will decide whether it is legal for states to ban people from wearing any 'political badge, political button, or other political insignia' while standing in line or while in the voting booth itself.
Sam Taylor with the Texas Secretary of State's office says Texas has a similar law."Texas law prohibits anyone within 100 feet of a polling place from wearing anything that expresses anything for or against a candidate, a measure, or a political party," he said.
Wen Fa, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is arguing the case, says the bans amount to a 'limitless restriction on personal expression.' Fa says in the case before the high court, a person was turned away from a polling place from wearing a 'Don't Tread on Me' t-shirt, which a polling official ruled was a 'political message' supporting the Tea Party.
"Our office advises elections officers to tell anyone wearing those items to either cover them up, or put them away if they can," Taylor said.
The case before the U.S. Supreme Court mentions Texas as one of eight states other than Minnesota which ban certain apparel in the polling stations.