Please Don’t Instagram Your Ballot Today…It’s Illegal

When you complete your ballot today, and you get that urge to whip out your phone and share it with the world, just stop for a second. Depending on the laws of your state, Instagramming that ballot or sharing to Facebook or Twitter could be illegal. New York state law states: “Voters are prohibited from showing their ballots after prepared for voting to any person so as to reveal the contents.” The California Election Code states: “After the ballot is marked, a voter shall not show it to any person in such a way as to reveal its contents.” Violating either of these or any of the other states’ rules counts as a misdemeanor.

This is probably a good thing. You’re Facebook feed is probably filled with these damn photos already anyway. At least people are voting, and if you haven’t yet please do. We just don’t really need to know how exactly you voted, in the form of an Instagram.

Check out the cliffsnotes version of each state’s “ballot sharing” laws over at Gizmodo. Confirm your polling place here.

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