Election Officials Respond to Intimidation of Tea Party Voters

The elections department of the Texas Secretary of State will issue a position defending voters who choose to wear Gadsden flag clothing at polling stations, according to a statement issued by the Dallas Tea Party.

The Dallas Tea Party had reported several instances in the first days of early voting during which voters with Gadsden flag shirts were prohibited from voting because the flag was considered a political symbol of the Tea Party. Election laws prohibit voters from wearing political paraphernalia of any kind while inside a polling station. The Dallas Tea Party contends that the flag is a historical symbol with no political affiliation.

The Gadsden flag was created by Christopher Gadsden and dates to the American Revolution as a symbol of defiance towards British political tyranny. It has been adopted by members of the Tea Party movement upset over the current government's high spending and increased taxes, as well as what they see as an unresponsive, out-of-control bureaucracy. The Dallas Tea Party argues that they are not a political party, and any symbols associated with them do not fall under such a law. The forthcoming statement from the Secretary of State would seem to agree.

In an email released October 21, 2010, the Dallas Tea Party stated the Secretary of State will issue a statement supportive of a voter's right to wear the flag's likeness. "We've received a commitment from the Elections Department of the Secretary of State that they will prepare and distribute a revised opinion on the display of the Gadsden flag by Texas voters. We've been assured that the revised opinion will indicate that election officials should not interfere with voters displaying the Gadsden flag on their person while voting."

An official statement from the Secretary of State has not yet been released.

Source: Dallas Tea Party