Voter selfies are great, but a secret ballot is greater

[Commentary] Selfies, that ubiquitous phenomenon of the current decade, have provoked countless discussions on generational shifts, humans’ narcissistic tendencies and the ability of technology to transform every interaction in our lives. Now they’ve provoked a constitutional question.

In 2014, New Hampshire banned voting-booth photos and created a fine of up to $1,000 for putting a photo that contains a completed ballot on social media. New Hampshire is one of the crucial primary states in the presidential election, and officials there were concerned about how the public display of marked ballots could lead to voter coercion or flat-out vote buying. It appears that the state’s officials were serious about the new law, too -- violators received official phone calls when they posted ballots on Facebook and Twitter. But the ballot law was controversial from the start, and right now it’s on hiatus: The American Civil Liberties Union just won a suit against New Hampshire in federal court. New Hampshire may appeal its loss, and the matter will come up in other states, too. Voter selfies are an of-the-moment issue that may outlive the 2016 presidential election. But history suggests that it’s a decision that merits careful consideration.