Judge won't bend on allowing ballot selfies

GRAND RAPIDS (AP) — A judge has refused to suspend her order that allows Michigan voters to take photos of their completed ballot in the Nov. 8 election.

Citing the First Amendment, Grand Rapids federal Judge Janet Neff blocked Michigan’s ban on taking so-called ballot selfies. The secretary of state is appealing.

The judge said Wednesday that she won’t freeze her decision while the legal process moves to a higher court.

Joel Crookston of Portage filed a lawsuit in September. In 2012, he took a photo of his ballot while voting for a write-in candidate for Michigan State University trustee. He didn’t know it was illegal.

Lawyers for the secretary of state are predicting “chaos” if voters take photos. They say it’ll lead to longer lines at polling places and other problems.

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