Federal Judge Allows Tea Party T-shirts on Election Day

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.