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Trump didn't break Florida law by wearing MAGA hat to polls | Fact check
The claim: Trump broke law by wearing MAGA hat to polls
A Nov. 5 Threads video (direct link, archive link) shows President-elect Donald Trump walking into a room of people applauding while wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat.
"Trump is wearing his MAGA hat inside the polling place, which is illegal," the post's caption reads. "A ... criminal to the very end."
Other versions of the claim were shared on X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
Trump voted in Florida, where it is legal to wear campaign apparel at the polls as long as you don't solicit other voters.
No law restricting campaign apparel at Florida polls
Trump cast his vote on Nov. 5 at a polling place near his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The president-elect was filmed wearing his signature MAGA hat at the polling place, which some online users falsely claimed is against the law in Florida.
The National Conference of State Legislatures' website says 21 states explicitly prohibit campaign apparel, stickers, placards and buttons at the polls, as USA TODAY previously reported. These actions are considered electioneering, which is when political groups convince people to vote for or against political candidates, parties or issues, according to Cornell's Law School.
Some states not listed on the website, such as Louisiana, do not have laws explicitly prohibiting campaign apparel but still ask voters to avoid wearing merchandise at the polls, USA TODAY reported. But Florida is not one of these states.
Fact check: Trump's name on second page of ballot is random, not 'election fraud'
Palm Beach published an "Election Myths vs Facts" sheet in 2015, in which it debunked the claim that voters in campaign apparel will be turned away from polls. As evidence, the page cites the Florida Polling Place Procedures Manual, which was updated in July.
"Voters are permitted to wear partisan items and bring campaign literature for personal use," the manual reads. "Voters may wear campaign buttons, shirts, hats or any other campaign items when they enter the polling place to vote."
The manual notes, however, that poll workers are restricted from wearing campaign apparel and cites a Florida statute prohibiting solicitation of voters within 150 feet of the polling place.
USA TODAY reached out to the Florida Department of State and the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive responses.
Our fact-check sources:
National Conference of State Legislatures, Sept. 12, Electioneering Prohibitions Near Polling Places
Cornell Law School, accessed Nov. 6, Electioneering
Town of Palm Beach, Jan. 29, 2015, Election Myths vs Facts
Florida Department of State, July 9, Florida Polling Procedures Manual
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yes, it's legal for Trump to wear MAGA hat to polls | Fact check