The terms "provisional ballots" and "challenged ballots" are often used interchangeably but refer to distinct types of ballots.

  • Provisional ballots are cast at the polling place or an early voting site by voters whose name does not appear on the pollbook, either because they are not registered or because they have requested absentee ballots. The provisional ballot board, which is a bipartisan balanced team of our regular poll workers, considers the merits of each provisional ballot after Election Day.
  • Challenged ballots are absentee ballots which are challenged by observers (usually from political parties) and are also considered by the provisional ballot board. 
  • Rejected absentee ballots are rejected by the absentee ballot team on Election Day for defects such as the lack of a signature, a late postmark, or an unsealed envelope. These ballots are not considered by the provisional ballot board.

Some of these categories may overlap statistically. For example, a voter whose absentee ballot is rejected may go to the polls and cast a provisional ballot.

PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

Counted : 164 total

  • 57: Absentee voter with no ballot to surrender at polls
    • determined after Election Day that the absentee had not been returned and counted
  • 45: Absentee ballot was rejected
  • 30: "Not registered," but later found to be registered
    • 18 of these were registered through the Department of Transportation
  • 13: Name spelling or name change error (Spaces, hyphenations, typos, legibility, etc.)
  • 5: Registration was cancelled in error (voter with similar name moved away, etc.)
  • 4: Voter changing address at polls on Election Day
    • These should have been cast as regular ballots rather than provisional
  • 3: incorrectly listed as having already voted an absentee ballot
    • 1) next voter alphabetically in pollbook 2) two voters in same precinct with same full first, middle, and last name 3) uncorrected error at satellite site
  • 2: Voter surrendered absentee ballot at polls
    • These should have been cast as regular ballots rather than provisional
  • 2: Voter went to "wrong precinct" but was in fact in the right precinct
  • 2: "non-resident" later determined to be resident
  • 1: voter house sitting with no permanent address
    • This should have been a regular ballot rather than provisional

Rejected : 183 total

Note: In 2006, the voter registration deadline was 10 days before a general election. A new state law effective January 1, 2008 establishes an election day voter registration procedure. Election day registration would have prevented many of the problems described below.

  • 154: Not registered
    • Includes voters who claimed registration at DOT, through drives, or were registered in other counties
  • 10: Voter went to wrong precinct
    • Many said it was "too late in the day to get to the right polling place"
  • 7: Voter registration cancelled
  • 3: Vote registration inactive (due to mail returned by post office) or incomplete (registration form was missing required information)
  • 3: not registered AND wrong precinct
  • 3: Not enough voter information to verify identity
    • two people left without completing paperwork, one illegible
  • 1: Absentee and provisional both rejected, not registered
  • 1: Non-resident of county (Mt. Vernon voter went to Swisher)
  • 1: Registered, but too young to vote
    • Voters may register at age 17 1/2, but cannot vote until age 18

Rejected, but voter had a ballot counted: 4 total

  • These four voters cast provisional ballots at the polls because they had no absentee ballot to surrender. Their absentee ballots were counted, and the provisional ballots were rejected.

Total provisional ballots: 351

CHALLENGED ABSENTEE BALLOTS

Counted: 10

  • 8: Registration was inactive or incomplete, voter provided information
  • 1: Registration was not found immediately, but discovered after research
  • 1: Voter brought in documentation before provisional board met

Rejected: 30

  • 14: Registration inactive or incomplete
  • 5: not registered
  • 4: Faxed absentee request; original copy not received as required by law
    • A ballot may be sent based on a faxed request, but in order for the ballot to count the original must be received in our office
  • 2: Ballot returned and marked "unvoted"
  • 2: Duplicate ballot
    • Voter reported that ballot was lost and was sent a replacement
  • 1: Non-resident
  • 1: Voter not registered in county and had absentee ballot counted in another county
  • 1: In person ballot counted instead

Total Challenged Absentee Ballots: 40

Total Provisional Ballots plus Challenged Absentee Ballots: 391

REJECTED ABSENTEE BALLOTS

Note: Under state law in 2006, the outside "return carrier" envelope could not be opened until the day before the election. The law was changed in 2007, and return carrier envelopes are now opened when the ballot is returned, so that mistakes on affidavit envelopes can be discovered sooner. Auditor's offices are directed to contact voters who have made mistakes. The new law would have prevented many of the problems described below.

  • 81: Affidavit envelope not sealed
    • 28 of these voters went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted. In addition, one of these voters went to the polls and cast a regular ballot.  This was properly counted, but should have been cast as a provisional ballot.
  • 53: Affidavit envelope not signed
    • 12 of these voters went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted.
  • 24: Ballot postmarked late
    • Ballots must be postmarked by the day before the election (November 6, 2006)
  • 15: Affidavit envelope incomplete (missing voter address)
  • 2: Returned unvoted
    • One of these voters went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted.
  • 2: Reason not listed
    • One of these voters went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted.
  • 2: Incomplete voter registration
  • 1: Voter not registered
  • 1: Surrendered absentee at polls
  • 1: Wrong Address
    • Voter went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted.
  • 1: Not sealed AND not registered
    • Went to polls; provisional also rejected

Total Rejected Absentee Ballots: 183

  • 45 of these voters went to the polls and had a provisional ballot counted, and one of these voters went to the polls and cast a regular ballot.

Overlap and Duplication: 48 Total

  • 45 voters who were notified their absentee ballots were rejected, and went to polls to cast provisional ballots that were counted
  • One voter had both an absentee and a provisional rejected; voter was not registered
  • One voter cast two provisional ballots at two different precincts; voter was not registered and both ballots were rejected
  • One voter had absentee ballot rejected; cast regular ballot at polls

Grand total, each person counted once

527 people cast either a provisional ballot, a challenged/rejected absentee, or both.

179 people had their vote counted:

  • 164 provisional
  • 10 challenged absentees
  • 4 provisional rejected but absentee counted
  • 1 absentee rejected, regular ballot counted

348 people did not have their vote counted:

  • 183 provisional ballots rejected
  • 30 challenged absentees rejected
  • 183 absentees rejected
  • minus 48 overlap/duplication