Down ballot
October 13, 2024 9:32 AM Subscribe
I screwed up my mail-in ballot by using a sharpie such that the mark bleeds through to the other side. I'll call the county tomorrow to see what can be done. What is usually done in these cases?
USA. Colorado.
USA. Colorado.
You can request a replacement ballot or choose to vote in person. CO Secretary of State FAQs.
posted by the primroses were over at 9:40 AM on October 13 [5 favorites]
posted by the primroses were over at 9:40 AM on October 13 [5 favorites]
Also, most ballots are printed such that bleed through doesn't line up with any read areas on the other side. If all the bleed through is not near the bubbles on the other side, it will probably read fine.
I have hand recounted thousands of optical scan ballots for recounts, ranked choice, and audits.
posted by advicepig at 9:50 AM on October 13 [4 favorites]
I have hand recounted thousands of optical scan ballots for recounts, ranked choice, and audits.
posted by advicepig at 9:50 AM on October 13 [4 favorites]
I should also mention what would happen here in Minneapolis. When your ballot went into a tabulator, either it would count fine, or register overvotes, too many choices. A overvoted ballot would be examined by officials to see if they could discern voter intent. If so, would mark a new ballot and count that one.
posted by advicepig at 10:01 AM on October 13 [2 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 10:01 AM on October 13 [2 favorites]
Where I am (Wisconsin), absentee ballots that the tabulator can't read are "remade," as it's called. Two pollworkers do this (to guard against chicanery); their job is to interpret the voter's intent on a new ballot as best they can. The unusable ballot is torn partway through (so nobody tries to put it back in the tabulator) and put into a special envelope with any others; the whole event gets logged.
If you're voting in-person and you mess up your ballot, you come back to the pollworkers for a new one. Again, bad ballot is partly-torn and kept, and event is logged. You can only mess up twice in Wisconsin, though -- third time you don't get to vote. I hate that law, but it is what it is and I've never seen it be invoked, so there's that.
posted by humbug at 10:04 AM on October 13 [3 favorites]
If you're voting in-person and you mess up your ballot, you come back to the pollworkers for a new one. Again, bad ballot is partly-torn and kept, and event is logged. You can only mess up twice in Wisconsin, though -- third time you don't get to vote. I hate that law, but it is what it is and I've never seen it be invoked, so there's that.
posted by humbug at 10:04 AM on October 13 [3 favorites]
Check your state's board of elections if you haven't done so already
In PA, you bring your complete ballot to your assigned polling station (in our case that means the WHOLE mail in ballot, the secrecy envelope, everything) and talk to the poll workers. They'll spoil your mail in ballot (nullifying it) and let you vote on the machine. Worst case, if for some reason that doesn't cut it, you can vote a provisional ballot.
posted by Geameade at 6:15 PM on October 13
In PA, you bring your complete ballot to your assigned polling station (in our case that means the WHOLE mail in ballot, the secrecy envelope, everything) and talk to the poll workers. They'll spoil your mail in ballot (nullifying it) and let you vote on the machine. Worst case, if for some reason that doesn't cut it, you can vote a provisional ballot.
posted by Geameade at 6:15 PM on October 13
According to this article from 9 News (I believe out of Denver)
"If you don't receive your mail ballot or you lose it, damage it or make a mistake, you can request a replacement mail ballot from your county clerk or vote in-person at a voter service and polling center."
posted by soundguy99 at 7:13 PM on October 13
"If you don't receive your mail ballot or you lose it, damage it or make a mistake, you can request a replacement mail ballot from your county clerk or vote in-person at a voter service and polling center."
posted by soundguy99 at 7:13 PM on October 13
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posted by NotLost at 9:40 AM on October 13 [2 favorites]