USC Annenberg Communication Professor Tom Hollihan recently spoke with NPR on the subject of political discussions in polling places and voting lines.

"Elections are civic rituals, which in some ways are similar to formal religious rituals," he said.

Hollihan, who referred to voting as "a bit like church," emphasized the importance of privacy and respect in the decision-making process.

"I think it means one should be on their best and most polite behavior . . . And that does mean to respect that in America we honor the privacy of the vote, and that we allow each person to make up his or her own mind."

The story was run by a number of NPR affiliates nationwide, including Minnesota Public Radio and Boston's WBUR.