ATLANTA — As voters continue streaming to the polls - with a historic turnout so far during this early voting period - 11Alive continues to receive concerns that are poping up at the polling sites.
Nicky Griffin said she was initially turned away at a Roswell early voting site for wearing a Black Lives Matter face mask while in line.
Griffin decided to contact 11Alive, and asked a question about what you can and can not wear when you go out to cast your vote.
“I was unable to enter unless I turned my mask inside out," she recounted. "Clearly, it just says that 'black lives matter.' There’s nothing for one candidate versus another."
Griffin said she began to ask questions about how her face mask was considered an endorsement for a political candidate or a political party. Eventually, she said she was given access to vote at the polling site.
11Alive contacted a spokesperson for Fulton County. The county said Black Lives Matter is considered a non-political affiliation, so voters are allowed to wear apparel with those words to polls.
11Alive's VERIFY team recently explained the rules of what voters can and can't wear to the polls.
According to the Secretary of State's Office, if a voter wears anything that directly promotes a candidate on the ballot, they won't be allowed in the polling place. For example, a MAGA hat would be considered promoting President Trump, because the items are sold on his website to raise funds for his campaign. Voters could also be stopped for wearing a shirt with Joe Biden’s name on it.
Poll workers do receive a training manual during their in-person training to let them know what’s allowed, what’s not allowed, and how to handle concerns as they pop up at polling sites.