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Okie dokie.... this is what I was told (and we know that anyone is bound to tell anything) tonight by the lady in charge of the voting office who taught our class....
That the problems with carrying/cell phones/candidate shirts in malls and stores where there is early voting is a problem created because they are NOT SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING THERE in the first place. That state law requires the voting to be in a segregated place so that no one can see you vote. That is why there are to be no audio/visual equipment at the polling areas, so no one but the ones voting will see you.

But again, no one is going to chase you down in the malls/stores, etc if your not in the area to vote and you have your cellie on or candidate shirt on.... so why would it be different with a CHL.

marksiwel wrote:

southboundp wrote:Here's another little twist. Books-A-Million is a polling location in Abilene. That particular store is "in the mall." There are both exteral entrances to the store, as well as internal entrances from the mall itself. Is the ENTIRE MALL off limits, or just the store? Thank you.

I look at it like this? What do you think the arresting Officer would say?

Probably something like "Why are you letting your concealed gun show?"

Is the sign for No Cell phones on the mall door? If not, good to go. Not just guns, but cell phones must be off in polling places...can you imagine the cop running around the mall taking everyone's cell phones? Aint gonna happen

FWIW, we have a poll worker/judge meeting tonight. I will ask if there is an opportunity.

marksiwel wrote:

wgoforth wrote:I am an election judge and unfortunately the entire facility becomes the polling place. HOWEVER, if you are a customer in the store and not voting, there is no way for the poll workers to do anything. That is the job of the judge, and the judges are not present at the early voting. For that matter, you also cannot bring a cell phone to the polling area... can you imagine trying to get everyone in the store to leave their cellies in the car or confiscate them?

Whoops, had my phone on me, but I turned it off

They prefer no phones at all. Even when on vibrate or no ring mode. The concern is the audio/visual equipment aspect. As I say, in early voting, not a lot they can do and with smaller crowd of people they can watch for anyone recording more easily anyway.

I am an election judge and unfortunately the entire facility becomes the polling place. HOWEVER, if you are a customer in the store and not voting, there is no way for the poll workers to do anything. That is the job of the judge, and the judges are not present at the early voting. For that matter, you also cannot bring a cell phone to the polling area... can you imagine trying to get everyone in the store to leave their cellies in the car or confiscate them?