BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Election is just six days away and Wednesday the Kern County Elections Department shared details on the approved attire and behaviors related to polling locations.
The Elections Department said they are going to do everything they can to protect you and your vote, but there are some rules surrounding what you can wear if you show up to a polling sites to vote.
“Anything that would be deemed as trying to influence someones vote is not allowed,” Chief Communications Officer at Kern County, Megan Person said.
According to Person, this includes and is not limited to a display of a ballot measure's number, title, subject, or logo; buttons, hats, pencils, pens, shirts, signs, or stickers.
All of these actions are considered electioneering or campaigning and are not permitted within 100 feet of the room where community members are casting their vote.
“Can't interact with a voter as they are getting ready to place their ballot and cast their vote, telling them how to mark their ballot or how they should, or trying to feed them information to steer their vote one way or the other is not allowed,” Person said.
Person said there will be poll watchers on site that work on behalf of a campaign, prop or measure and they will be observing the process to ensure everyone's vote is held in secret and cast fairly without interruption, but they are not allowed to approach voters.
Whereas, a poll worker is someone trained by the elections department to conduct the elections business on November 3.
Person said the Election Department officials will also be looking out for any voter intimidation.
“It’s anything that could make a voter feel uncomfortable about the action they either just took or are about to take.”
Voter intimidation and electioneering are both misdemeanor crimes.
