But in a close election, it's a number that signals potential challenges ahead for voters, campaigns, and election officials in November. Rejected ballots could become a key source of contention that could further stall results. A missing signature, an unverified signature, or late arrival are the most common reasons for a ballot to be rejected, according to the U.
Election Assistance Commission report from the election. Concerns about the coronavirus mean that "so many more people are going to vote by mail, that it really does raise the possibility of a high number of rejected ballots," says Josh Douglas, an election law and voting rights professor at the University of Kentucky.
And then you get litigation. CBS News analyzed primary election election data in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — three key states that determined the presidential election by fewer than 80, combined votes — and found the following rejection rates based on data from state election officials:. Wisconsin: 22, ballots rejected of 1,, absentee ballots returned, 1.
The election was decided by 22, votes. Michigan: 6, ballots rejected of , absentee ballots returned, 0. The election was decided by 10, votes. Pennsylvania: 26, ballots rejected out of 1,, absentee ballots returned, 1.
The election was decided by 44, votes. The color, a bright purple for the elections, wraps around the envelope to make them stand out in a stack of mail. The next step in ensuring that an absentee ballot counts is returning it to election officials in time. There has also been rising concern over a deluge of absentee ballots overwhelming the United States Postal Service and creating delays.
Experts say this is largely unfounded, even as the newly-appointed postmaster general implements new policies that could affect how and when mail gets processed. They can get the damn ballots through.
She recommended requesting an absentee ballot at least 15 days before the election and sending it no later than a week before the election, using first-class mail if possible. This advice conflicts with some state policies that allow voters to request a ballot within days of the election.
Once the absentee ballot gets back to the election officials, however, there are policies that can still invalidate it. A recent study from the University of Florida found that younger voters and voters who need assistance are more likely to have their ballot rejected, potentially in part because of this signature issue. For many states, the number of rejected absentee ballots turned out to be an incredible success story. Massachusetts, for example, cut its rejection rate from a mediocre 3.
Maryland rejected about the same number of absentee ballots in 3, as it did in 3, — despite nine times as many total absentee ballots being cast 1,, vs. Four other states 1 also rejected fewer ballots in absolute terms in than they did in , despite a sizable increase in the total number of absentee ballots cast.
Election-administration experts cite several factors, but a big one was that voters submitted their absentee ballots early. But in , several states reported steep dropoffs in the share of absentees received after the deadline. For instance, in Delaware, the share of absentee ballots that arrived late decreased from 1.
In Maryland, it decreased from 1. In Massachusetts, it decreased from 1. However, only valid ballots are included in the determination of how the total amount of annual financial assistance to political parties is distributed.
The current Quebec voting model, as prescribed by the Election Act , does not allow you to choose to vote for none of the candidates or parties—sometimes referred to as a blank vote in other electoral systems.
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