Taking selfies seems to be a pretty important part of our culture right now. People constantly want to document everything and post it to social media. So, when ballots were sent out, obviously some people will want to take a selfie with their ballot and show their patriotism and support for a specific candidate. But, if you live in Greeley, Erie, Evans, or anywhere in Colorado, you should resist this temptation as you could be committing a misdemeanor offense. It might seem silly to you, but posting a selfie of your completed ballot could land you in the Weld County Jail. Let’s look into this statute to learn more so you can protect yourself.
Weld County Disclosing or Identifying Vote Lawyer: What is the Definition of Disclosing or Identifying Vote?
The Colorado law defines Disclosing or Identifying Vote – C.R.S. 1-13-712 – is:
(2) No person shall endeavor to induce any voter to show how he marked his ballot.
(3) No election official, watcher, or person shall reveal to any other person the name of any candidate for whom a voter has voted or communicate to another his opinion, belief, or impression as to how or for whom a voter has voted.
As you can see, there are three different situations that can warrant a charge for Disclosing or Identifying Vote:
- A voter shows his or her completed ballot; or
- One voter tries to get another voter to show how he or she voted; or
- A voting official tells someone how another person voted.
While this statute was probably written to specifically protect those at the polls on election day, now that social media has taken over, it takes on a whole new meaning. The law specifically states you are not allowed to show your completed ballot to anyone, let alone 400 of your closest internet friends.
Greeley Disclosing or Identifying Vote Lawyer: What is the Punishment for this Misdemeanor Crime?
Disclosing or Identifying Vote is a misdemeanor election offense in Weld, Morgan, and Logan County. It is not identified as a class 1, class 2, or class 3 misdemeanor, specifically, but the punishment range is outlined in the statute. This charge is punishable by up to one year in the Weld County Jail and not more than $1,000 in fines. That’s a pretty steep punishment for posting a selfie!
If you or someone you love has been charged with Disclosing or Identifying Vote, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Source: Pixabay-PeteLinforth