A man wearing a President Donald Trump shirt was told he couldn’t wear the shirt while voting, so he took it off and voted shirtless.
The situation took place at the Murrells Inlet/Garden City Fire Department polling site in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Nov. 6.
The man, who hasn’t been identified, was seen removing his shirt before going inside the voting location after election workers told him it violated a state law that bans distributing campaign material within 200 feet of any polling site.
“I thought it was ok as long as the shirt wasn’t for someone on the ballot?”
The man was told by a poll worker he couldn’t vote with the shirt on, so he quickly removed and cast his vote.
Price said another voter was wearing a Trump shirt and apparently left to change. “I didn’t hear the conversation with him but he left in a huff and went to his truck,” Price wrote on Facebook, “I assume to go put on a different shirt.”
Disputed Interpretation
But two election experts were divided on the interpretation of the rule.South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said that the shirt didn’t violate any rules because the shirt advertised Trump who is not on the election ballot in the midterms.
“The shirt in question didn’t relate to a candidate in this election,” Whitmire said. “It’s an understandable mistake. Poll managers are volunteers that are working hard out there, trying to do the right thing. If you closely read the handbook on campaign material, that didn’t violate the definition of material.”
“It is considered campaign material whether it is relevant to the election or not,” Martin said.
Pictures showed the man putting his blue Trump shirt back on after he had taken it off to enter the site. His wife held his red “Make America Great Again” hat while he did so. The couple appeared to be in their 60s or 70s.