Supreme Court: States can't enforce political dress code at polls

USA Today reports:

State laws that ban wearing political messages inside polling places are unconstitutionally broad, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The 7-2 decision struck down a century-old Minnesota law that was challenged by a voter temporarily turned away for wearing a Tea Party shirt and a "Please I.D. Me" button. During oral argument in February, state officials said the law had not been challenged until now.

Chief Justice John Roberts issued the court's opinion, calling the state's effort to make polling places less clamorous worthy. But "Minnesota has not supported its good intentions with a law capable of reasoned application," he said.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer dissented.

All 50 states regulate election campaign clothing and activity in and around polling places for reasons most of the justices readily defended during oral argument in February. But only 10 states extend the prohibition to virtually anything deemed political.

Free speech wins again.