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State Senate OKs Cellphones, Selfies At Ballot Box

Posted at 2:08 PM, Apr 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-13 15:08:26-04

The Tennessee Senate has approved legislation to allow photos in polling places after Justin Timberlake's now-infamous, possibly law-breaking ballot box selfie.

Senators voted 30-0 Thursday for the bill by Senator Brian Kelsey of Germantown, where Timberlake snapped his early voting photo in October.

The bill, which needs House approval, would allow photographing or video-taping a filled-out ballot, except if it's intended to commit voter intimidation, voter fraud, or sell a vote.

Some cellphone use would remain banned, including calls within ten feet of voting booths, discussing candidates or ballot issues out loud on the phone, and recording other people at the polling place without permission.

This month, the Supreme Court left in place lower court rulings that struck down New Hampshire's ban on voters photographing themselves and their completed ballots.