MCKINNEY, Texas — What was already a contentious election in McKinney became even more complicated this Tuesday when two individuals, Matt Thorsen and Chad Green, were cited for violating the city's electioneering ordinance at a local polling site.
The citations, which were issued on Election Day in the afternoon at Gay Library, have sparked an ongoing debate over free speech, city regulations, and election integrity.
"The ordinance is unconstitutional which is why we fought against it," said Thorsen.
Matt Thorsen was cited for wearing an Ultra MAGA cape/flag and having a political sign on the dashboard of his truck while parked near the polling location. There are special rules for the size of flags exhibited on city property at polling sites.
Chad Green was cited for having flags and political signs attached to his truck and was reportedly revving his engine and driving around the polling site, drawing attention from both voters and poll workers.
"It says I violated the city code, blah, blah, blah," Green said, holding up his citation. "This is a free speech issue. This is the Constitution and the city doesn't have the authority to override the Constitution," he said.
Thorsen and Green, who have long been critical of the city's regulations, argued that their actions were a form of free speech and that the city's ordinance was unconstitutional.
“They know me pretty well. They don’t like me too much, but that’s okay. The feeling’s mutual,” Green remarked, suggesting that the city had targeted him for his past confrontations over electioneering laws.
The City of McKinney, however, argues that Thorsen and Green’s actions directly violated its electioneering ordinance, which restricts the placement of political signs and campaigning near polling sites. Under the ordinance, signs posted on city property must either be affixed to a "metal H-frame or held by a person."
Mayor George Fuller weighed in on the situation, calling the actions of Thorsen and Green a “stunt” intended to create chaos and controversy at the polling site. The citations were handed out by Code Enforcement with the help of McKinney Police officers.
"They were cited for violating the sign ordinance, something they are very familiar with," Fuller told WFAA. “And that sign ordinance had to be refined after their behavior in the last election, the same group of people," he said.
Fuller also stressed that Thorsen and Green’s behavior put both poll workers and officers in a difficult position.
"This is chaos and controversy; a guy desperate to be relevant but doesn't exhibit the behavior to do it in a constructive, productive, way in the community," Fuller said.
Thorsen and Green expressed their intention to challenge the citations and bring the case to a higher court if necessary.