Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/Stuart Miles

Hopefully, your answer is yes, but wait! Stop and think before posting your beloved voting selfie on Facebook! Under Illinois Election law, posting a picture of your marked ballot on Facebook (whether you’re in the picture or not) is classified as a Class 4 felony. Whoa!

Section 29-9 of the Illinois Election Code prohibits unlawful observation of voting. The statute goes on to say that “any person who knowingly marks his ballot . . . so that it can be observed by another person . . . shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.”

The Northwest Herald and Peoria Journal Star reported that the law dates back to the 1970s and is “meant to thwart vote-buying schemes by making it harder to prove to someone after the fact that a person voted in a certain way,” remarked Ken Menzel, deputy general counsel of the Illinois State Board of Elections.

However, Menzel also noted that he has “never heard of a prosecution for posting a ballot image on social media.” Peoria County State’s Attorney echoed Menzel’s thoughts stating he’d be unlikely to press charges under those circumstances.

Lesson learned? Get out and vote, but don’t take voting selfies! Wait until after you leave your polling place to discuss whom you voted for or your stance on particular issues.

We at the offices of Laura Law encourage you to get out and vote. Your voice matters!