NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 04: (Exclusive Coverage) Justin Timberlake attends the CMA After Party at Citizen hosted by Justin Timberlake and Sauza 901 Tequila on November 4, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for M2M)
Justin Timberlake posted an image this week meant to inspire people to partake in the electoral process. But his image also nearly incurred the wrath of the law.
Timberlake currently resides in Los Angeles, but he took the pilgrimage back to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, to vote early. The New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church housed the celebrity’s contribution to the election.
Upon performing his civic duty, Timberlake posted a selfie on Instagram with the intention of promoting democracy. In doing so, however, he ran afoul of the legal system. Since 2015, it has been illegal to take a photo of oneself while casting your ballet, which the pop star was unaware of.
Although the post has since been deleted, BBC has a screenshot of the now infamous image.
The District Attorney was “made aware of a possible violation of state election law” earlier today, and they confirmed the issue was being reviewed.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich followed up on that declaration by saying the D.A.’s initial report was made “without her knowledge.” She also labeled the initial claim as “incorrect.” If the singer had been found guilty, he could have been charged with a $50 fine and/or 30 days in jail.
The law was designed to prevent people from voting for profit. In the past, people would be paid off to vote for a particular candidate, and a voter taking a photograph with their ballot would be presented as proof for their reward.
Talking on the phone while in the booth is prohibited, too. However, cell phones, in-and-of themselves, are perfectly permissible in there, as they can be a useful tool for maintaining information pertinent to the candidates.
While Timberlake’s photo didn’t explicitly reveal who he had voted for, it can reasonably be assumed that he supports Hillary Clinton.
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