Snapchat joins fight for ballot booth selfies

  • 27/04/2016
Volunteers use their smartphones at Republican headquarters (Getty)
Volunteers use their smartphones at Republican headquarters (Getty)

Social media giant Snapchat has joined the legal fight in the United States for the right to take and share photos in the voting booths.

The popular photo-sharing social media organisation argues that allowing ballot selfies will lead to higher levels of voting.

Snapchat joined the 18-month fight between the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and New Hampshire to overturn the state's laws that prevent voter photography in polling places.

Violations of the law are punishable with fines of up to US$1,000. Lawmakers say this is necessary to prevent voting fraud or coercion.

However, Snapchat argues these laws are an infringement of First Amendment rights, especially as reporters are allowed to take photos inside polling places.

Snapchat says it is against the state imposing "an absolute ban that prevents even voters who want to share their ballot selfies with digital media news gatherers from doing so."

Newshub.