Voters will have a window to correct “flawed” mail-in ballots ahead of the November 4, 8 p.m. deadline, or to cast a provisional ballot in person on Election Day.
“If there is an issue with a ballot, it is coded and entered into the SURE [Pennsylvania’s Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors] system. This coding automatically generates an email from the Department of State that goes to the voter and notifies them of the specific issue,” said James T. O’Malley, Bucks County deputy director of communications.
O’Malley said the Bucks County Board of Elections sends a post card and may call the voter to alert them of an issue with their ballot.
Voters with problem ballots can contact the Board of Elections Doylestown office at 215-348-6154 during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
“Facial issues” or “facial mistakes” mean the ballot was not signed or dated or it was not returned in the “secrecy envelope” provided.
In August a federal appeals court ruled undated mail-in ballots must be counted in Pennsylvania, Bucks County Beacon previously reported. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court then ruled that voters must be notified if their mail-in ballot is disqualified because of an error such as an incorrect date or missing signature. The high court’s decision may be viewed here.
O’Malley said ballot issues are sent to Pennsylvania’s SURE system for further investigation.
“Mail-in ballots must be in the Board of Elections’ possession by 8 p.m. on Election Day. This includes ballots that need ‘curing,‘ so if a voter receives a notice of an issue with their ballot and wishes to fix it, that must be done by the 8 p.m. November 4 deadline. No changes can be made after 8 p.m. on Election Day,” O’Malley said.
The Bucks County Board of Elections sends a post card and may call the voter to alert them of an issue with their ballot.
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Ballot curing means fixing minor errors that would otherwise require a ballot to not be counted.
Mail-in ballots can be requested by registered voters in advance of an election without any reason for the request, according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.An absentee ballot specifies a reason for the voter’s request – such as an illness or the inability to get to your specific polling place on Election Day, the state website said. A provisional ballot is made available on Election Day and is counted once the voter’s eligibility to vote has been determined by the county’s Board of Elections.
