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IPFS News Link • Voting and Elections

Federal Judge Allows Tea Party T-shirts on Election Day

• goldwaterinstitute.org

PHOENIX – A federal judge has issued an emergency order stating that Maricopa County cannot ban clothing worn by voters on Election Day that refers to the phrase “tea party,” unless there’s also a message on the clothing that attempts to influence how other voters might cast their ballots.

At the request of the Goldwater Institute, U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg issued a temporary restraining order Monday afternoon to stop poll workers from telling voters to hide or remove any clothing that refers in some fashion to a “tea party.” Poll workers also are not allowed to record the names of voters wearing “tea party” clothing for later investigation, the judge’s order says.

“This is a great day for liberty,” said Diane Cohen, the Goldwater Institute’s lead attorney on the case. “The court recognized that Maricopa County’s policy went far beyond what’s required to protect anyone from the threat of intimidation or coercion while voting.”
 
 

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