It’s Illegal To Post A Photo Of Your Ballot In NJ

When the age of the selfie intersects with the age of mail-in voting, the results could turn disastrous for people without them even realizing it.

Every time we have an election, my social media feed (and probably yours too) is filled with people sharing their "I VOTED" sticker selfies. I actually remember on Election Day in 2016 a lot of my friends were complaining that voting locations in Ocean County and other spots around New Jersey didn't have stickers to give to voters. Honestly, sharing your "I VOTED" sticker is just fishing for likes, but I won't even get into that debate.

There are much more serious ramifications for people who go beyond just sharing their sticker, because with our ballots sitting on our desk well before Election Day, many people are feeling the urge to share a picture of their filled-in ballot, just to highlight who they are voting for.

As of October 13, 2020, New Jersey is just one of many states where it is illegal to share a picture of your ballot, whether it's a selfie or just a regular picture. Doing so can result in your vote being disqualified, so DON'T DO IT.

According to Voting-School.com, New Jersey is joined by Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont. The site does acknowledge that some states are actually overturning the ban, but with so much news coming out at such a rapid pace, you don't want to miss an update and end up throwing out your vote.

If you must share your life on social media, you can still post a pic of your SEALED ballot as you drop it off in one of the secure drop boxes across Ocean County!