Election Day 2024: Selfies and Voting, What Could Go Wrong? There is a lot this year

As you head to the polls this Election Day you may be hoping to snap a photo of your completed ballot to share with friends and family, perhaps on your favorite social media site. And why not? Maybe your photo will encourage those same friends and family to vote too. But depending on where you live, this may be illegal.

In many elections, voter affairs, and pride in fulfilling your civic responsibility can be something to celebrate. That celebration may include sharing your completed ballot with friends or family via text or social media in the form of a selfie. Most state governments would agree with you there, as the practice is legal in almost half of the states. Outside of those states, however, your right to share a voting selfie may be limited or outright illegal.

The practice of taking and sending a selfie while voting is becoming more and more popular because we always have a camera with us and, with social media, an easy way to share the photos we take with our phones. As the practice grew, some states tended to regulate it, out of concern that the images could undermine the integrity of the electoral process and violate the right to a secret ballot. Some concerns exist about these images being used to show evidence of electoral options in an illegal “paid to vote” system.

Read on for a full explanation of which states will have a bone to pick with your ballot selfie.

For more on the 2024 election, find out where each candidate stands on the child tax credit and which states won’t let you register to vote online.

In which states are voting selfies illegal?

In 16 states, voting selfies are completely illegal, according to Ballotpedia:

• Alaska
• In Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• In Ohio
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• In Wisconsin

In six states, the rules are unclear regarding this practice, so it’s best to just play it safe and not take that selfie:

• Connecticut
• in Louisiana
• Maryland
• In New Mexico
• In Wisconsin
• Wyoming

And in four states, you can take a selfie with your completed ballot, but only if you’re voting absentee or by mail, in which case you’ll be filling out a ballot at home:

• In Arizona
• Tennessee
• Texas
• West Virginia

Anywhere else, including Washington, DC, it is perfectly legal to take and share a ballot selfie.

What are the penalties for taking a selfie with an illegal vote?

As for what might happen if you run afoul of ballot selfie laws in one of the states where it’s illegal, the penalties you might face are unclear in all cases. Below, you can find a list of states where potential consequences under the law are known.

• Illinois: As a Class 4 felony, taking a ballot selfie and sharing it can land you in prison for one to three years and a maximum fine of $25,000.
• Massachusetts: “Not more than six months [in prison] or by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars,” according to state law.
• Missouri: Although the penalty is unclear, the law classifies voting selfies as a Section 4 election offense, which is a misdemeanor.

Good for you for voting. Just be aware of your state’s laws about sharing your social engagements with others. For more on the upcoming election, see which counties have already started early voting.