Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama’s merchandise outsold Sen. John McCain’s on multiple Web Sites, but voters will not be able to show their gear at the polls today. Laws about what voters can wear to the polls vary by state, and the rules in Louisiana are stiff.   Voters in Louisiana are not allowed to display or exhibit campaign materials when voting. This includes t-shirts, pins, signs and other paraphernalia. Rosanne Scholl, assistant professor of mass communication and political science, thinks the law may tie into the pre-electronic voting days. “In the 1800s politicians divvied up the spoils, goods and spending to their clients on the local level, and in return the local level politicians would make sure they used very organized systems to get people to vote at the polls,” Scholl said. “This was seen as corrupt because it was like buying a vote, and it was very intimidating not to vote that way.” If a voter is wearing something displaying bias for a candidate, they will be asked to remove or cover it, and if these rules are not followed, poll workers may turn the voter away.”You prohibit politicking at the polls and it’s designed to keep things quiet at the polls,” said Paul Baier, professor at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center.  The law is long-standing and was not designed for a particular campaign, said James Stoner, political science professor. Some students think the law is an imposition of the First Amendment.”Free speech shouldn’t be limited,” said Stewart LeBlanc, landscape architecture senior. “If I want to wear my John McCain t-shirt, I should be able to.”Sarah Donaldson, mass communication sophomore, agrees.”Free speech should be everywhere,” she said. “My pin or t-shirt is not going to change anybody else’s mind and if it does, maybe they shouldn’t be voting in the first place.”Others think the rule is fair. Stoner said the law makes sense because voting is deliberate, and the Democratic and Republican parties should not influence each other at the polls. “I wouldn’t want to walk into an obnoxious John McCain campaign rally when I go to vote,” said Martin Garrity, communication studies sophomore. Garrity said freedom of speech is not compromised because the entire voting process is supposed to be secretive. “Do all the politicking you want, just do it within certain zones,” Baier said. Scholl said she can understand both sides because freedom of speech should be available, but there is plenty of time for people to make their arguments.—-Contact Aimee Effler a [email protected]