Connecticut walks back ban on WWE clothing at the polls

Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz is walking back a directive from her office that would have blocked voters from wearing World Wresting Entertainment clothing and memorabilia to the polls on Election Day.

In a statement to reporters Tuesday night, Bysiewicz said that her office's statement on WWE clothing had been misconstrued and that voters would not be turned away or asked to cover up WWE memorabilia on Election Day.

On Friday, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office told reporters that the office considered WWE garb too closely associated with former WWE Chairwoman Linda McMahon's Senate campaign. Therefore, the official explained, such attire would be considered a political statement in violation of state rules that limit politicking inside polling locations. Voters, the spokesman said, would have to cover up or remove the WWE garb or risk being turned away from the polls.

The Connecticut GOP and McMahon's campaign called the directive biased, and the WWE filed a federal lawsuit Monday calling the rule a violation of voters' First Amendment rights.

According to the Hartford Courant's Daniela Altimari, Bysiewicz said Tuesday that the matter had been overblown. In a letter to state officials Monday, the secretary of state said that "simply wearing WWE apparel at the polls" would not violate the law. But clothing bearing the name of McMahon or her campaign logo would not be allowed, Bysiewicz said.

"In preparing for this election, be advised that it is the position of this office that simply wearing WWE apparel at the polls, including apparel with the trade name or logo of the WWE or the name or photograph of any WWE entertainer that does not display the name or photograph of Linda McMahon ... or the name or logo of Ms. McMahon's campaign does not trigger a violation" of state election law, Bysiewicz wrote.

(Photo of Vince and Linda McMahon: Jessica Hill/AP)