Justin Timberlake Could Reportedly Face Jail Time for Taking Selfie in Voting Booth (UPDATE)

Justin Timberlake could face 30 days in jail for sharing a selfie from a voting booth in Tennessee.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

UPDATED 10/25/16 6:07 p.m. EST: Justin Timberlake's illegal voting booth selfie will not result in any jail time. At least that's what the Shelby County D.A.'s Office is saying.

According to TMZ, an official at the D.A. says Timberlake's stunt was a "mistake"; however, the matter wasn't actually "under review" because no one filed a formal complaint.

The Shelby County D.A.'s Office was not immediately available for comment.

Read the original story below.

Justin Timberlake could reportedly face 30 days in jail for taking a selfie in a voting booth in his home state of Tennessee, according to TMZ.

"Hey! You! Yeah, YOU! I just flew from LA to Memphis to #rockthevote !!! No excuses, my good people! There could be early voting in your town too. If not, November 8th! Choose to have a voice! If you don't, then we can't HEAR YOU! Get out and VOTE! #excerciseyourrighttovote," Timberlake captioned his Instagram selfie on Monday.

Timberlake posted a picture of himself voting at his polling place in Memphis, but Tennessee law prohibits voters from taking photos or recording conversations in the rooms designated for voting. The law was passed back in 2015, but TMZ reports that no one has been prosecuted for it yet. However, a representative from the Shelby County District Attorney General's office told TMZ that Timberlake's case is currently "under review." Violators are subject to a 30-day jail sentence and a $50 fine.

Ballot selfie laws vary from state to state. Hawaii, Virginia, and Louisiana do not ban photographs, while posting a photo from the voting booth is illegal in states like New York, Florida, and Alaska.

"An official from the election's board where Justin voted is clearly against prosecution, telling us he should be commended, not prosecuted, for inspiring people to get out and vote," writes TMZ. Everyone should probably take Timberlake's selfie situation as a warning to check their state's voting booth photo laws before sharing a selfie while exercising their American rights this November. Timberlake has not publicly commented on the matter on social media, although we probably know who he voted for considering he and his wife, Jessica Biel, hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton back in August

Latest in Music