Is It Allowed to Wear Football Jerseys When Voting on 8 Feb?
Election 2026: Clarifying whether wearing football jerseys to vote on 8 Feb is allowed, which types are prohibited and which are advisable, to avoid appearing as deliberate electioneering when entering the voting booth at the election.
On 6 February 2026, in response to social media claims that wearing football team jerseys to vote is prohibited and may violate the law, Acting Second Lieutenant Phaskorn Siripakayaporn, Deputy Secretary-General of the Election Commission, clarified that the concern about wearing football jerseys with numbers to vote depends on the intent behind it. Generally, if the jersey does not convey any message or hidden meaning, it can be worn. However, if it is intended to persuade voters, it may violate the law. He emphasized that intent is key.
Is it allowed to wear football jerseys when voting?
Regarding wearing football jerseys, the Election Commission does not ban wearing them to vote. The reason warnings have arisen is due to “details on the jersey” that might risk violating election laws.
1. Risk of being electioneering
- If the football jersey has a political party logo or a number matching a candidate’s ballot number in that district, or symbols clearly representing a political party, it would be considered “electioneering” on election day, which is illegal under Sections 70 and 79 of the Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives.
2. Symbols that might cause misunderstanding
- Some football club jerseys may have sponsors or patterns that coincidentally resemble political party symbols. If officials interpret this as conveying a political message, problems could arise at the polling station.
3. Prohibited time period
- The law prohibits electioneering from 6:00 p.m. on the day before the election until the end of election day. Therefore, wearing clothing with political party symbols inside the polling area carries a high risk of legal action.
Which types of football jerseys are allowed to wear to vote?
- Allowed: General football club jerseys (such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Buriram United, etc.) that do not bear political party logos or candidate numbers.
- Should avoid: Football jerseys printed with politicians’ names, party logos, or candidate numbers running in the election.
However, for peace of mind and a smooth voting process, it is best to wear plain or generally patterned shirts unrelated to politics.
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