With the responsibility of choosing the next president on their minds, local voters should be relieved to find they may be free from worrying about at least one thing on Nov. 4 -- their wardrobe.

Traditionally, Pennsylvania voters have not been allowed to wear anything that advertises political campaigns to the polls, said Jon Eich, chairman of the Centre County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Elections.

Yet recently the Pennsylvania Department of State moved to leave the interpretation of the state's elections code up to counties, said Jodi Neidig, assistant director for elections and voter registration for Centre County.

Neidig said the Centre County Board of Elections, currently comprised of the county commissioners, is interpreting the Pennsylvania Elections Code the same way as the state.

"We were advised that the T-shirts and campaign buttons were considered passive electioneering," she said, later adding, "As long as they're not actively campaigning in the polling place, it will be allowed."

Neidig said people are not allowed to actively campaign, citing an example of shouting to vote for someone in a polling location, within 10 feet of the of the polls' entrance.

Eich said the Board of Elections will take action on the issue today. The action, which could be in the form of a motion or resolution, would no longer call for voters to remove buttons or turn clothes inside out, as had been in effect in the past, Eich said.

He said commissioners seem to be leaning to pass some action, which would allow voters to wear pins, but poll workers and watchers would not be allowed to wear campaign material.

Voters are passing through the polling place whereas poll workers and watchers will be there all day, he said.

Eich said workers have enough to do on Election Day and he personally thinks the motion is a good decision.

"This was a nuisance regulation that I'm glad to get rid of," Eich said.

Samuel Settle (freshman-political science), a member of the College Republicans who regularly wears apparel in support of his party -- political buttons, a John McCain baseball cap and political T-shirts -- said complying with a dress code at the polls is a small price to pay for voting in this year's competitive election.

Settle said he would like the restrictions to be removed, but if there are any, he would obey them.

"I don't think it's a woeful burden," he said.

However, Settle said it was good the issue was raised and doing away with the restrictions entirely would be ideal.

The College Republican said he wears a button for McCain, one for former President Ronald Reagan and a 9/11 commemorative button. He added he also sports a small American flag with a subtitle "pray for our country," a button that advocates traditional marriage and a button for Young Americans for Freedom.

Settle, 18, who will be voting for the first time in this election, said he hopes to change some minds with his choice in wardrobe, later adding he convinced one Barack Obama supporter to switch to the other side after a conversation.

Depending on the final decision for the restrictions, Settle said he would wear his usual political buttons, hat and T-shirt to the polls on election day.