You just voted in the municipal election.
You exercised your democratic right and helped shape your community for the next four years, just days after paying homage to Canadian soldiers who died for your freedom to do so.
You’re proud to share how much you care about your community.
So, naturally — it’s time to take a selfie.
If there’s any time to snap the famed self-portrait and post it to social media, voting surely merits the online exposure.
The harmless pictures have been snapped for so much less — a night out, a haircut, another night out.
Scrolling through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds, it’s nearly impossible to miss the photo-ops.
The selfie even made its way to the red carpet this year when Ellen DeGeneres effectively broke Twitter after posing with A-list stars at the Oscars.
It only seems natural that the trend has made its way into voting stations.
But, before you pull out your camera phone on Saturday while hitting the polls for the municipal election, know that the backdrop for your next selfie could be a jail cell.
Stephanie Nichols, deputy chief election officer for the City of Kamloops, said election selfies are not encouraged because they can jeopardize the secrecy of a ballot, an election offence that can result in a penalty of up to $10,000 or even imprisonment under the Local Government Act.
Even if you omit your own ballot from the photo, you could accidently snap someone else’s while innocently giving the camera a thumbs-up and a little wink on voting day.
Nichols said it wasn’t an issue during the last municipal election in Kamloops.
But, it’s come up around the world in the three years since.
In May, the BBC reported concerns about selfies raised by the Electoral Commission during elections in the United Kingdom.
In Ontario’s June provincial election, a Globe and Mail writer tweeted a photo of his marked ballot and Elections Ontario requested he take it down.
During Brazil’s general election in October, the Associated Press reported it is illegal to take selfies at voting booths in the South American country, plain and simple.
Huh?
What’s the big deal?
It’s a selfie.
With record-breaking crappy voter turnouts in recent years, you’d think elections at any level could use all of the publicity they can get.
Just imagine channeling some of DeGeneres’ selfie power into the political process.
The possibilities are endless.
What if, instead of duckfaces, we promoted our civic duty, inspiring others to get out and cast a ballot.
Or, even struck a pose just to innocently remind people that it’s voting day — it is on a Saturday, after all.
You could even include a pouty face if you so wished.
Try this caption with it: “Voter turnout in Kamloops was 29 per cent last election.” Pouty face.
Kamloops Vote 50 would meet its goal in no time.
While Nichols warns people not to use their cellphones or cameras in voting areas, she encourages voters to take a photo with their ‘I voted’ sticker after voting and away from the polls.
Bah, humbug.
The earlier we can all spread the word, the better.
I say we sneak selfies in the voting stations.
It wouldn’t be difficult with our expertise, a techno-generation raised on cellphones with which you had to physically turn the phone around and Hail Mary-click your way to finding an image of your face on the screen.
We’re all pros now, so it should be no trouble concealing the secrecy of it all and protecting the sanctity of the election.
I’ll be snapping a selfie on Saturday after marking my own ballot.
I hope we all break Twitter.
Jessica Wallace is a reporter for KTW. Email her here. Follow her on Twitter here.
The post WALLACE: Put that duckface to good use this Saturday appeared first on Kamloops This Week.