Early Voting is in full swing at the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections, but cell phone use, on the other hand, is not. Georgia Code 21-2-413, Section (e), says taking video or pictures is illegal in “the polling place”.
In the 25 years Cora Wright, Assistant Director of Board of Elections in Athens-Clarke County, has worked the elections, she can only recall one instance that caused a problem with a cell phone.
“I just remember one time, a while back, this one person picked their phone up and went to talking. And It’s like they didn’t hear anything we were saying. They were going to finish their conversation.”
One big application that has not been an issue in past elections that may be this year is Snapchat. Wright thinks this will just add to the problem.
“It’s something people feel they need to do. It’s like Facebook, people feel like they have to do it.”
Director of the University of Georgia Student Government Association is trying to get voters to the Tate Student center, but she is not sure they can regulate cell phone usage.
“If people want to take a picture of their ballot, they will find a way. The only time I see it causing a problem is if the Board of Elections feels it is interfering with the voting process.”
Wright says she doesn’t know what will happen if caught taking a picture of a ballot.
By Jessi Young
