Voters are not allowed to wear campaign clothing at polling stations. It’s a law, not a favor, that led to a brawl at an early voting website in Orangeburg County that is currently under investigation by state law enforcement.

But the phrase on the hat that sparked the dispute may be legal after President Joe Biden withdraws from the race.

State law does not allow campaign materials within 500 feet of a polling place entrance. This rule is not limited to candidates. This also means voters cannot express their support for anyone on the ballot by handing out or wearing hats, shirts, buttons, pins, posters and flyers.

The State Election Commission posts posters at every polling station to remind voters of these rules.

According to WIS-TV, a voter in Orangeburg County on Wednesday wouldn’t take off his hat that read, “Let’s go, Brandon.” (It’s a phrase that became popular last October among fans of former President Donald Trump as a substitute for using profanities about Biden.)

A dispute escalated between voters and election workers. After cursing and being told he couldn’t vote, the voter threw his hat toward the viewer in line who videotaped the argument. He turned to a poll worker who told him to leave. She appeared to hit him, and according to the video that circulated on social media, people intervened to restrain him.

A spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement confirmed Thursday that it was investigating the altercation. It could be the first SLED investigation into a conflict at the ballot box for this general election. Speaker Renee Wunderlich didn’t know anyone else.

State law requires election officials to “use all reasonable means” to keep polling places within 500 feet of the entrance “free of political literature and displays.” At the request of polling stations, police officers will remove anything that is illegally “distributed or displayed.”

Voters who come to a polling place wearing campaign gear will be asked to remove or cover it so it is not visible to other voters, according to a spokesman for the state election commission.

Poll workers have been trained not to allow “Let’s Go Brandon” clothing as a campaign item, Howard Knapp, director of the state election commission, told The Post and Courier. However, since Biden is no longer on the ballot, he believes the sentence no longer violates the law, he told the newspaper.

There are other legal prohibitions during elections.

State law also prohibits carrying a handgun at a polling place. Possessing a concealed weapon permit does not exempt voters from this law.

Voters are also not allowed to show their ballot papers to anyone. This also includes taking a photo of it, so selfies at the ballot box are not allowed.

Early voting runs statewide through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. By the end of voting on Wednesday, 1.1 million South Carolinians had voted early in person.

On Election Day, all precincts open at 7 a.m. The deadline to get in line is 7 p.m. Anyone in line at this time can stay in line until they can vote.

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