‘Make America Great Again’ gear turned away at Indiana polls: What it means in Ohio

Credit: STEPHEN B. MORTON

Credit: STEPHEN B. MORTON

Some Indiana voters may want to “Make America Great Again,” but they won’t be allowed to display that slogan on clothing or hats during Tuesday’s primary election, the Evansville Courier & Press reported.

Carla Hayden, the Vanderburgh County clerk, said Indiana election officials directed poll workers not to allow anyone wearing the slogan into polling places because it references Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Rokita.

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Rokita is shown in a television campaign ad wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and openly supporting President Donald Trump, who used the phrase during his 2016 presidential campaign.

“Anything identified with a specific candidate, we would either ask them to remove it or, if it’s like a T-shirt or something, we’ll ask them to turn it inside-out or place a jacket over it,” Hayden, a Republican, told the Courier & Press. “We treat it no differently than we would any other campaign paraphernalia.”

Ohio county board of directors told this news outlet that the slogan would not be turned away at polling places in the state because it is not associated with any one candidate.

“Voters cannot wear slogans that relate to candidates in the election when they enter a polling location,” said Steve Harsman, deputy director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Ohio law prohibits campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place. Voters are asked not to leave campaign literature in voting booths or wear clothing touting the election of any candidate, Harsman said.

Bob D’Angelo of the Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this story.

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