October 20, 2016 10:18 AM UTC

Remember, Ix-Nay on the Allot-Bay Elfie-Say!

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• by: Colorado Pols

Denver DA Mitch Morrissey’s press release today might come as a surprise to voters across Colorado eagerly snapping photos of their completed ballot for this or that candidate, and posting them on social media for posterity:

REMINDER: BALLOT SELFIES ARE ILLEGAL IN COLORADO

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey is reminding voters that there is a state law prohibiting voters from showing their completed ballot to others. This would include posting your completed ballot on social media.

Colorado is one of many states that ban a ballot selfie. The law, found at §1-13-712 in the Colorado Revised Statutes, states that, “No voter shall show his ballot after it is prepared for voting to any person in such a way as to reveal its contents.” It is a misdemeanor violation.

The prohibition on sharing completed ballot results is an effort to guard against potential voter fraud.

The thinking behind making it a crime to show your completed ballot to another person is to prevent voters from selling their votes in any verifiable way. If you can’t legally show someone your completed “secret” ballot, you can’t prove beyond a doubt how you voted. That’s the theory, anyway, though there’s a good argument that this prohibition is a little anachronistic in the age of mail ballots and smartphones.

What say you, Polsters? Have you already broken this law without knowing? Would you like to show your completed ballot to the world for purely honorable reasons? Are you one of these mythical bad guys looking to buy some photo-verified votes?

Actually, on the latter maybe don’t tell us–click here and tell the proper authorities instead.