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Polling place selfies OK in November

Now you can tell your friends with more than a sticker that you performed your civic duty.
County commissioners approve change

If Kim Kardashian ever moves to Butler County, she'll be sure to vote.

County commissioners at their Wednesday meeting approved a measure that now allows voters to use their cell phones at their polling places.

Cell phones were previously prohibited, said Shari Brewer, director of the county's elections bureau.

“If someone wants to take a selfie while voting ...” Brewer said in explaining her request that the commissioners reverse the rule, “welcome to 2018.”

While the commissioners and several row officers at the meeting stifled a collective chuckle, commissioners Chairman Leslie Osche made what she called the “selfie motion.”

The action passed unanimously.

Brewer said state Attorney General Josh Shapiro sent a memorandum to all county election bureaus encouraging them to reverse the prohibition of cell phones at polling places so that voters can snap themselves doing their civic duty.

She said cell phones can be used inside polling places as long as they are not a distraction to other voters or the voting process.

“There have been a lot of court cases on it,” said Mike English, county solicitor.

The commissioners vote comes just in time for the general election on Nov. 6.

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