Red MAGA hats. Kamala T-shirts. Pins and signs.
People are showing support for their preferred candidates during the 2024 general elections.
While some states including Texas prohibit political clothing at the polls, you can rep your candidate while voting in Florida.
But there are restrictions.
And with South Florida polling sites open for early voting the week of Halloween, there are costume rules voters also need to follow.
Here’s what to know:
Can you wear political clothing to the polls?
You can wear clothing with political slogans or candidate names — including shirts, buttons and hats — inside the precinct if you’re planning to cast a ballot, according to the Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Supervisor of Elections offices.
But you can’t distribute political or campaign material like fliers or try to sell your handmade election memorabilia. You also can’t bring in signs or posters.
All of that is considered voter solicitation under Florida law and is required to stay outside of the polling place and from the 150-foot zone surrounding the polling place.
Can you wear a mask? Or vote in a Halloween costume?
It’s Halloween week, so can you wear a costume at the polling place? Miami-Dade’s Supervisor of Elections office says it’s OK to vote in costume, as long as you’re not distracting or disrupting other voters.
Medical masks people wear to help reduce COVID are OK, and so are costume masks, according to the Miami-Dade elections office.
But keep in mind that if you show up dressed like Spider-Man, Deadpool, or with another mask that covers your entire face, you’ll have to take it off so staff can look at your photo ID to verify it’s really you.
For people who like to dress up like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and other political figures, this rule goes for political costume masks, too.
Some of this information comes from Miami Herald archives in 2022.
