Can You Legally Take a “Ballot” Selfie in Washington State

Can You Take A Selfie With Your Ballot In Washington State And Post It?

Did you fill out your ballot? did you snap a selfie with it? It might surprise you what laws govern you to legally take that photo in the state of Washington.

14 States Prohibit Posting Selfies With Ballots, Is Washington State One Of Them?

In some states, 14 states prohibit you from taking a selfie with your ballot and posting it on your social media.

According to Vox.com, Justin Timberlake in 2016 had to take his selfie down in the state of Tennessee because the law prohibited it.

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The act of taking a selfie with your ballot is known as "ballot photography," and it has sparked debates across the country.

In Washington State, the law doesn't prohibit voters from showing their marked ballots to others. This includes taking pictures or videos of your marked ballot and sharing them on social media.

This is from the official website of the Washington Secretary of State:

Q: Is it OK to selfie myself holding my voted ballot and post it on social media?

The state of Washington does not directly prohibit ballot selfies. However, it is illegal to view another’s ballot for a purpose prohibited by law, such as vote buying.

Idaho requires a secret ballot and Oregon has no law that prohibits posting of selfies so Idaho might be a little touchy. If you live in Washington, no worries for now on posting a selfie with your ballot.