Californians across the state head for the polls today to make their decision on a variety of issues, including who we'll see running for Governor on the general election ballot. These decisions are important and they should be taken seriously - but first, let me take a selfie.
And thanks to a recent change in California's voting laws, voters are now legally allowed to snap a selfie of their ballot from the voting booth.
The change came following the 2016 primary when California lawmakers voted to change the law that previously prevented residents from sharing "ballot selfies" to prevent vote buying and voter coercion.
Snapping selfies became legal on Jan 1, 2017 with California's Secretary of State Alex Padilla sending a memo to all county clerks and registrars informing them of the change.
"A voter may now take a photograph of their ballot (a 'ballot selfie') and share it on social media," the memo said. "While 'ballot selfies' are now allowed under California law, elections officials and poll workers will still need to exercise their discretion as to whether 'ballot selfies' cause disruptions requiring a response."
The law was authored by state Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-Marin County) who said it would help "encourage voter pride, political speech, and civic engagement through social media."
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