Electioneering Prohibitions

Elections

Each state has some form of restriction on political activities near polling places when voting is taking place.

These restrictions usually include limiting the display of signs, handing out campaign literature or soliciting votes within a pre-determined distance (typically 50 to 200 feet) of a polling place. Some states also address what apparel voters can wear within polling places.

This webpage provides a breakdown of prohibitions in each state. Here is a summary:

16 states prohibit campaign apparel/buttons/stickers/placards
37 states and D.C. prohibit campaign materials/signs/banners/literature
28 States prohibit influencing voters/soliciting votes/political persuasion
17 states and D.C. prohibit circulating petitions/soliciting signatures
10 states prohibit projecting sounds referring to candidates/issues
6 states prohibit polls/exit polls
9 states prohibit loitering
3 states prohibit peddling/advertising
10 states prohibit voter intimidation/interfering with voter
10 states prohibit obstructing entrance/hindering voter

The table below provides information on electioneering prohibitions for each state.

Table 1: State Statutes on Electioneering Prohibitions
State	Distance	Prohibitions
Alabama Ala. Code § 17-9-50	30 feet of the door	Other: No one other than electors, persons to assist them, the judge of probate, the sheriff or his deputies, precinct election officials, and watchers is permitted within the perimeter.
Alaska AS § 15.15.170	200 feet of entrance	Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion
Arizona A.R.S. § 16-1018	75 ft. of polling place or entrance to early voting location	Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Arkansas A.C.A. § 7-1-103(8), 7-1-104	100 ft. of exterior entrance; includes people in line	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter
California Elec. Code § 319.5, 18370	100 ft. of polling place, satellite location or election official's office	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Loitering
Colorado C.R.S. § 1-13-714	100 ft. of any building where a polling place is located	Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures
Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-236	75 ft. of the outside entrance to a polling place, or in any corridor passageway or approach leading to a polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Loitering Peddling/Advertising
District of Columbia D.C. Code § 1-1001.10 (b) (2)(A)	50 ft. from the entrance and exit of a polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Canvass Other: "Engage in any activity that interferes with the orderly conduct of the election."
Delaware 15 Del. C. § 4942	50 ft. of entrance of building	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues
Florida Fla. Stat. § 102.031	150 ft. of the entrance to a polling place, early voting site, or office of the supervisor	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Polls/Exit Polls – Note: there is an exception allowing exit polls
Georgia Ga. Code § 21-2-414	150 ft. of the outer edge of the building where a polling place is established, or within 25 feet of any voter standing in line	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Money or gifts, including food or drink Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Polls/Exit Polls – Note: exit polls and opinion polls are prohibited within 25 ft. of the exit
Hawaii H.R.S. § 11-132	200 ft. from the perimeter of any voter service center or any place of deposit; includes the building, its parking lot, and routes of access between them	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Polls/Exit Polls
Idaho I.C. § 18-2318	100 ft. of a building where an election is being held	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter Other: "Engage in any practice which interferes with the freedom of voters to exercise their franchise or disrupts the administration of the polling place."
Illinois 10 ILCS 5/17-29	100 ft. of any polling place, or at the option of a church or private school that is a polling place, on any of that property	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion
Indiana I.C. § 3-14-3-16 and 3-5-2-10	within the polls or the chute (this is an area or pathway 50 ft. in length, measured from the entrance to the polls; if the property line is less than 50 ft. from the entrance, the chute extends half way from the entrance to the property line)	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
Iowa Iowa Code § 39A.4	300 ft. of the outside door of the building where the polls are held	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Loitering Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Kansas K.S.A. § 25-2430	250 ft. of the entrance	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion
Kentucky K.R.S. § 117.235(3)	100 ft. of the entrance to a building where a voting machine is located on election day	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures
Louisiana	La. Stat. Ann. § 18:1462	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Loitering
Maine 21-A M.R.S. § 682	250 ft. of the entrance	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues – Note: buttons of 3" or less are allowed
Maryland Md. Code, Elec. Law § 16-206(b)	100 ft. from the entrance and exit	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 54 § 65	150 ft. of the building entrance door	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards
Michigan M.C.L. § 168.931(k)	100 ft. from the entrance to a building where a polling place is located	Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion
Minnesota Minn. Stat. § 204C.06	100 ft. of the building where a polling place is located	Other: Intoxicating liquor is prohibited
Mississippi Miss. Code § 23-15-895	150 ft. of any entrance to a building where an election is being held	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
Missouri Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.637(18)	25 ft. of the building's outer door closest to the polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Polls/Exit Polls
Montana M.C.A. § 13-35-211	100 ft. of any entrance to the building where a polling place is located	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Polls/Exit Polls Other: Candidates, their family, and their campaign workers/volunteers cannot distribute alcohol, tobacco, food, drink, or anything of value
Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-1524	200 ft. of polling place or any building designated for voters to cast ballots	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues
Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.740	100 ft. from the entrance of the building or other structure where a polling place is located	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues
New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. § 659:43	there are "no-electioneering corridors" that are at least 10 ft. wide and extend from all entrances to the polling place and extend "a reasonable distance along sidewalks or to the parking lots that serve the polling place"	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter
New Jersey N.J. Rev. Stat. § 19:34-6	100 ft. of the polling place	Loitering Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
New Mexico N.M. Stat. § 1-20-16	100 ft. of the building where a polling place is located or the door through which voters enter to vote	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures
New York N.Y. Elec. Law § 8-104, 17-140	100 ft. from entrances to a building where the election is being held	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Other: Providing or purchasing meat, drink, tobacco, refreshment or other provision with a retail value of more than one dollar is prohibited in polling places (see statue for exceptions).
North Carolina N.C.G.S. § 163-166.4	Dimensions of the buffer zone are set by the county board of elections and must not be less than 25 ft. nor more than 50 ft. from the door of entrance to the voting place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter Other: Includes a broad ban on "election-related activity"
North Dakota N.D.C.C. § 16.1-10-03, -06, -06.2	100 ft. from the entrance to the room containing the polling place	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Peddling/Advertising
Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.35 and .30	Within the area between the polling place and the small U.S. flags placed on the thoroughfares and walkways leading to the polling place, and if the line of electors waiting to vote extends beyond those small flags, within 10 ft. of any elector in line. Flags are placed 100 ft. from the polling place.	Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Loitering Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 7-108	300 ft. of the ballot box	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
Oregon O.R.S. § 260.695	100 ft. measured radially from any entrance to a building designated for the deposit of ballots	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Pennsylvania 25 Pa. Stat. § 3060	10 ft. from the polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion
Rhode Island 17 R.I.G.L. § 19-49	50 ft. of the entrance of the building where voting is conducted	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
South Carolina S.C. Code § 7-25-180	200 ft. of any entrance used by the voters to enter the polling place	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
South Dakota S.D.C.L. § 12-18-3	100 ft. from any entrance leading into a polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Tennessee Tenn. Code § 2-7-111	100 ft from the designated entrances to the building where the election is held	Campaign Apparel/Buttons/Stickers/Placards Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Peddling/Advertising Other: Certain counties may extend the 100 ft. boundary
Texas Tex. Elec. Code § 61.003 and .004	100 ft. of an outside door through which a voter may enter a building in which a polling place is located	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Loitering
Utah Utah Code § 20A-3a-501	150 ft. of the building where a polling place is located	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Other: It is prohibited to "engage in any practice that interferes with the freedom of voters to vote or disrupts the administration of the polling place"
Vermont 17 V.S.A. § 2508	On the walks and driveways leading to a building in which a polling place is located	Voter Intimidation/Interfering with Voter Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter Other: "During polling hours, the presiding officer shall control the placement of signs on the property of the polling place in a fair manner."
Virginia Va. Code § 24.2-604	40 ft. of the entrance of a polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Loitering Obstructing Entrance/Hindering Voter
Washington R.C.W. § 29A.84.510	100 feet from the entrance of a vote center or 25 feet radially from a ballot drop box	Projecting Sounds Referring to Candidates/Issues Other: Within a voting center, it is prohibited to suggest or persuade any voter, circulate cards or handbills, solicit petition signatures, engage in any practice which interferes with the freedom of voters to exercise their franchise or disrupts the administration of the voting center, obstruct doors or entries or prevent free access.
West Virginia W.V. Code § 3-1-37	100 ft. of the outside entrance to a building housing a polling place	Loitering
Wisconsin Wis. Stat. § 12.03 and .035	100 ft. of an entrance to a building containing a polling place	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature
Wyoming Wyo. Stat. § 22-26-113 and -114	100 yards of any public entrance to the building in which a polling place is located	Campaign Materials/Signs/Banners/Literature Influencing Voters/Soliciting Votes/Political Persuasion Circulating Petitions/Soliciting Signatures Polls/Exit Polls – Note: exit polls conducted by the media are allowed; all other polls are prohibited Other: Disturbing a polling place consists of creating any disorder or disruption at a polling place or interfering with the orderly conduct of an election

The table below provides additional information for the 21 states that have statutory restrictions on apparel in the polling place. If you know something that we don't have included, please let us know.

Table 2: State Statutes on Electioneering Apparel

State	Statute	Prohibits
Arkansas	§ 7-1-103(8)	"(d) Displaying a candidate's name, likeness, or logo; (e) Displaying a ballot measure's number, title, subject, or logo; (f) Displaying or dissemination of buttons, hats, pencils, pens, shirts, signs, or stickers containing electioneering information."
California	§ 319.5	“(a) A display of a candidate’s name, likeness, or logo. (b) A display of a ballot measure’s number, title, subject, or logo. (c) Buttons, hats, pencils, pens, shirts, signs, or stickers containing electioneering information.”
Delaware	Title 15, § 4942	“the wearing of any button, banner or other object referring to issues, candidates or partisan topics…”
Indiana	§ 3-14-3-16	"wearing or displaying an article of clothing, sign, button, or placard that states the name of any political party or includes the name, picture, photograph, or other likeness of any currently elected federal, state, county, or local official."
Kansas	§ 25-2430(a)	“wearing, exhibiting or distributing labels, signs, posters, stickers or other materials that clearly identify a candidate in the election or clearly indicate support or opposition to a question submitted election within any polling place”
Maine	§682	"...campaign literature, posters, palm cards, buttons, badges or stickers containing a candidate's name or otherwise intending to influence the opinion of any voter regarding a candidate for an office or question that is on the ballot for the election that day." The statute provides an exception for campaign buttons that do not exceed 3 inches and are worn by people at the polling place solely for the purpose of voting.
Michigan	§ 168.744	"...any material that directly or indirectly makes reference to an election, a candidate, or a ballot question."
Minnesota	§ 211B.11	"A political badge, political button, or other political insignia may not be worn at or about the polling place on primary or election day."
Montana	§ 13-35-211(1)	“any badge, button, or other insignia that is designed or tends to aid or promote the success or defeat of any candidate or ballot issue to be voted upon at the election.”
Nebraska	§ 32 154	"...the deliberate, visible display or audible or physical dissemination of information for the purpose of advocating for or against [a candidate,] including "(i) Such a candidate's name, likeness, logo, or symbol; (ii) Such a ballot measure's number, title, subject matter, logo, or symbol; (iii) A button, hat, pencil, pen, shirt, sign, or sticker containing information prohibited by this section."
Nevada	293.740	"...Buying, selling, wearing or displaying any badge, button or other insigne which is designed or tends to aid or promote the success or defeat of any political party or a candidate or ballot question to be voted upon at that election."
New Hampshire	659:43	"The distribution or posting of electioneering communications, including but not limited to posters, cards, handbills, placards, pictures, pins, stickers, circulars, or articles of clothing, is prohibited within any no-electioneering corridor..."
New Jersey	§ 19:34-19	“display, sell, give or provide any political badge, button or other insignia to be worn…”
New Mexico	§ 1-20-16	"the display or distribution of signs or campaign literature, campaign buttons, t-shirts, hats, pins or other such items..."
New York	§ 8-104(1)	“…no political banner, button, poster or placard shall be allowed in or upon the polling place…”
North Dakota	§ 16.1-10-03	"No such political badge, button, or insignia may be worn within that same area while a polling place is open for voting."
Rhode Island	§ 19-49	"...any political party button, badge, or other device..."
South Carolina	§ 7-25-180(B)	“If the candidate enters the polling place, he may not display any of this identification including, but not limited to, campaign stickers or buttons.”
Tennessee	§ 2-7-111(b)(1)	“the display of campaign posters, signs or other campaign materials, distribution of campaign materials, and solicitation of votes for or against any person, political party, or position on a question are prohibited.”
Texas	§ 61.010(a)	“…a person may not wear a badge, insignia, emblem, or other similar communicative device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party appearing on the ballot, or to the conduct of the election, in the polling place’
Vermont	Title 17, § 2508(a)	“…no campaign literature, stickers, buttons, name stamps, information on write-in candidates, or other political materials are displayed, placed, handed out, or allowed to remain.”

For comments or questions, please contact NCSL's election team.

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Summary Electioneering Prohibitions

Table 2: State Statutes on Electioneering Apparel

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