Why is taking a selfie with your ballot illegal in Illinois?

Sharing your civic duty on Instagram or Facebook could mean jail time. Snapping a picture with your ballot and sharing it is a felony in Illinois.

Illinois voters face a surprising legal risk by showing their civic duty: taking a selfie with your completed ballot is a Class 4 felony punishable by 1-3 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

An innocent snap showing your voting pride could theoretically land you behind bars in Illinois. The outdated law stems from concerns about vote-buying schemes in which voters would need to provide photographic evidence of their vote to collect payment.

Even sharing with a small group of friends is illegal because the felony extends to anyone “observing” unlawful voting, which includes shared ballot selfies.

But vote buying itself is already illegal nationwide, so the picture prohibition in Illinois feels unnecessary.

State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, introduced legislation legalizing ballot selfies. But his House Bill 1894 stalled in the Rules Committee, where legislation often goes to die.

So, as the April 1 elections approach, Illinois voters should be aware of this peculiar legal risk.

For many voters, particularly younger ones, sharing voting experiences on social media is the modern equivalent of the “I Voted” sticker – a way to encourage participation and celebrate democracy. Instead of criminalizing civic pride, lawmakers should focus on modernizing election laws.

Until then, save your selfies for outside the polling place – your Instagram followers will understand.