concealed carry @ the polls?

Mtdineen

Mtdineen

New member
Just dawned on me as a new CCW permit holder, can I conceal carry at my polling station? I'm in central MI & my polling place is a "Public Safety Bldg" (county, twp?) attached to a firehouse. Guess I got some HW to do.
 
did you do your homework yet? what did you find out? i know in florida guns not allowed at the polling places no matter where they are held
 
According to the official MI list of 9 pistol free zones, there is no mention of polling place, Govt bldg or Govt property, except for court rooms. Sounds like it's ok. But I'll so more research.
 
No limitation in SD, unless the polling place is in one of the very few restricted places: courthouse, K-12 school, bar.

My polling place is a volunteer fire department firehouse, so I'm good.


Hmmm, voting in a bar, that could be interesting.
 
In PA it is not a crime to carry in to a polling station unless that polling station is a type of building that normally would have restrictions (school, courthouse, etc.).

However, it is illegal for a police officer to be stationed at a polling station unless he is responding to an incident. In our state the only security allowed to be stationed are PA constables.
 
If the polling place is not one of the PFZ's where concealed carry is illegal then it is, by default, legal.

I'm from Michigan and will be legally concealed AND open carrying at the polls on Nov. 6th. The polls in my township is held at the township community hall... and I've also open and concealed carried to township council meetings in the municipal building itself. There have been folks in Michigan who open carried into schools to vote... (while concealed carry in a school is illegal those who have a carry permit can legally open carry into a school).

Michigan has a law, MCL 123.1102 (type that into a search to read the actual black letter law), that basically states no municipality can make any firearms laws (ordinances are laws) more strict than State law. And a very recent Court of Appeals case strengthened that law with the ruling that the legislature is the only entity that has the authority to make firearm's laws.

Ruling can be read here... the last two paragraphs sum it up nicely:

Link Removed

So.. basically... if it isn't a designated by law PFZ then concealed and/or open carry is legal. Of course there is still the private property owner's right to ban guns and trespass anyone who disobeys that.

Now... a very important caveat. DO NOT EVER TAKE ANYONE'S WORD FOR ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET!, not even mine, please do some research into the law itself for yourself... may I suggest going to the following website --> Link Removed <-- and asking questions because the folks there will direct you to the actual laws pertinent to your questions.
 
I voted early in Nevada at a local mall. Carried my IWB like I always do in the mall.

My regular, election-day polling place is in a school. If voting there, I'd make other arrangements.
 
I might be in for a surprise with a reply that says so and so state thinks this is the perfect place to be CCW but really now, dosen't any common sense enter into your mindset before asking this question? At least you admit to "just asking" without any "homework" but c'mon now. You had better be doing your homework and you had better be using some common sense or else you will find yourself arrested someday.
 
kelcarry said:
I might be in for a surprise with a reply that says so and so state thinks this is the perfect place to be CCW but really now, dosen't any common sense enter into your mindset before asking this question? At least you admit to "just asking" without any "homework" but c'mon now. You had better be doing your homework and you had better be using some common sense or else you will find yourself arrested someday.
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I agree that folks should research before doing something they aren't sure is legal.. but asking questions on a gun specific forum is a good place to begin such research.

I am confused since, at least to me, common sense says to carry everywhere it is legal to carry regardless of what activity is being engaged in. Hence, considering that crime happens everywhere including at the polls, if it is legal to carry while voting then, again.. to me, common sense dictates to carry while voting.
 
sdprof said:
No limitation in SD, unless the polling place is in one of the very few restricted places: courthouse, K-12 school, bar.

My polling place is a volunteer fire department firehouse, so I'm good.


Hmmm, voting in a bar, that could be interesting.
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Voting in a bar? Since the bar has to be closed during polling hours how would you get in to vote? If it was closed would it still be a polling place? If the bar was closed would it still be a bar? If legal to carry into a polling place but not a bar is it still a bar during polling hours? I need to have a drink and think this out. WAIT, I can't do that, the bar is closed. Oh God, I hope this election gets over soon. :)
 
I brought this question up for a number of reasons. One, while I was confident of my states PFZ, I was leery of any technicality or caveat that I may have overlooked. Two, what could be a more timely discussion on a Concealed Cary forum?
With Tuesdays significance, drama, heated topics, 2nd Amend. implications, potential civil unrest, etc., we have the opportunity here to put this under a spotlight, educate each other, and thus, give forethought to our own actions. Carry on!
 
No law in NYS unless it's at a school. But if you're a member of the New Black Panther Party you are allowed to carry a nightstick and pace menacingly in front of a polling place.
 
kelcarry said:
I might be in for a surprise with a reply that says so and so state thinks this is the perfect place to be CCW but really now, dosen't any common sense enter into your mindset before asking this question? At least you admit to "just asking" without any "homework" but c'mon now. You had better be doing your homework and you had better be using some common sense or else you will find yourself arrested someday.
Click to expand...

Exactly why would it not be common sense to conceal carry when voting, if allowed to by law?
 
In Texas we can't carry in a polling place so I voted by absenty ballot. I think we will need our CCW's more after the election, if Romney wins, several groups are promising riots in the streets if the chosen one is not re-elected. good luck happy hunting.
 
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