While a number of states have laws prohibiting the open carry of a firearm at a polling place, and many polling places are also gun-free zones because of what they are for the rest of the year, there are actually a lot of places where you can carry a firearm when you go to vote. That includes open carry, which is what a lot of people prefer.
And a new bill introduced in the House would turn that into a federal offense, but not because suddenly there are gun-free zone signs on all of the doors.
House Bill 10545, introduced by Rep. Christopher Deluzio, a Pennsylvania Democrat, would make someone openly carrying a gun while minding their own business an election interference charge.
A BILL
To prohibit the intimidation of election officials and election workers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
...“SEC. 21. Enforcement proceedings concerning intimidation involving firearms.
“(1) VOTER INTIMIDATION.—In any suit to enforce section 11(b), a person shall be presumed to have violated such section, in the absence of an affirmative showing to the contrary by a preponderance of the evidence, if such person displays or carries a visible firearm, imitation firearm, or antique firearm while interacting with or observing another person—
“(A) voting or attempting to vote;
“(B) urging or aiding a person voting or attempting to vote; or
“(C) exercising any powers or duties under section 3(a), 8, 10, or 12(e).
“(2) INTIMIDATION OF ELECTION OFFICIALS AND ELECTION WORKERS.—In any suit to enforce section 11(c), a person shall be presumed to have violated such section, in the absence of an affirmative showing to the contrary by a preponderance of the evidence, if such person displays or carries a visible firearm, imitation firearm, or antique firearm while interacting with or observing another person—
“(A) exercising any powers or duties to administer elections; or
“(B) due to the person’s status, or previous status, as a participant in the administration of elections.
So standing in line and looking at someone or chatting with the person in line with you could, at least in theory, land you a felony charge for election interference if you're openly carrying a firearm, but it remains in the holster.
The case can also be made that moving a coat to get your wallet and the gun becoming visible would also qualify.
First, this seems like a solution looking for a problem. Despite all the hysteria about people with guns trying to intimidate everyone around them, there's absolutely no evidence of anyone doing any such thing. If someone is intimidated by the presence of a firearm in the hands or on the hip of someone who isn't making any kind of threat, that's on you. If they are, then they're making terroristic threats, and that's a crime. Report them. If not, cowboy the hell up and stop being a whiny little prat.
So far, the bill has a grand total of one co-sponsor, which is the good news. There's also little to no chance of this actually passing as things currently stand, but it's a nice reminder that we aren't just gun owners, but gun voters. We need to make our voices heard in the upcoming midterm elections and do all that we can to make sure that people like Deluzio don't get a chance to keep trying crap like this until they finally hammer it through.
Editor’s Note: The radical Left will stop at nothing to enact their extreme gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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