Provisional Voting
  

What is a Provisional Ballot? A provisional ballot is a safeguard to ensure that an individual who asserts that he or she is registered and eligible to vote will not be prevented from voting. A provisional ballot will only be counted after the local board of elections has reviewed the provisional ballot application and determined that the individual is registered and eligible to vote. You must be eligible to receive a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot cast by a voter who was ineligible to vote provisionally may be rejected. A provisional ballot is not an alternative to the electronic voting system. What are the reasons why I may be required to vote a provisional ballot? Not on the precinct register.        The most common reason that an individual's name is not on the precinct register is that the individual moved and did not update his or her voter registration. For your full provisional ballot to be counted, you must be registered in the State of Maryland and you must cast your provisional ballot in the precinct in which you currently reside. You are unable to provide required identification. If you are asked for identification and are unable or unwilling to provide it, you will be issued a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot will be counted if you submit one of the following forms of identification before provisional ballots are canvassed on the 1st Monday after the election: ·    A copy of a current and valid photo identification (i.e., Maryland driver's license or MVA-issued ID card, student, employee, or military ID, U.S. passport, or any other State of federal government-issued ID card); or ·    A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document with your name and current address (the same address you provided on your provisional ballot application). You have not yet met the federal verification requirements. If your voter registration application is pending because you have not met the federal verification requirements, you will be issued a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot will be counted if you provide: ·    Identification (see forms of identification above). Identification is required because the driver's license or social security number you provided on your voter registration application could not be verified; or ·    A driver's license or MVA-issued ID card number or, if you do not have a driver's license or MVA-issued ID card, at least the last four digits of your social security number and election officials were able to verify the number you provided. This is required because you did not provide this information on your voter registration application. This information must be provided before provisional ballots are canvassed on the 1st Monday after the election. You are ineligible to vote a regular ballot. You are ineligible to vote a regular ballot if: ·    By not signing the change of address form, you indicate that you changed your residence address more than 21 days before the election and did not provide your new address to the local board of elections. You have the option to stay and vote a provisional ballot or go to your correct precinct.  Please note that the  Maryland Constitution requires voters to vote in the election district or ward in which they reside.  Accordingly, in order for your provisional ballot to be counted, you must be in the correct election district or ward; ·    The precinct register indicates that you received an absentee ballot for the current election or have already voted. You may cast a provisional ballot if you have not already voted. Your provisional ballot will be counted if the absentee ballot issued to you was not returned or you have not already voted. Attempting to vote more than once is against the law; or ·    You are 17 years old and there are non-partisan contests on primary election ballot. Your right to vote was challenged. Maryland law authorizes a poll watcher to challenge a voter's identity. If your identity is challenged and you are unable to provide the required identification, you will be asked to complete an affidavit to confirm your identity and be issued a provisional ballot. The challenger will also complete an affidavit indicating the basis for his or her challenge. The provisional ballot will be counted if the local board of elections determines that you are the registered voter you claim to be and are eligible to vote. You voted during extended election hours. If you vote during extended election hours (i.e. a court ordered extension), you will be issued a provisional ballot. Your vote will be counted if the local board of elections confirms that the order extending the election was valid. What You Have to Do? To cast a provisional ballot, you must complete and sign the provisional ballot application (instructions will be provided by an election judge) and vote the provisional ballot provided by the election judge. Once you have voted the ballot, you will seal it inside the provisional ballot application envelope and deposit the envelope into the provisional ballot bag provided by the election judge. Secrecy Your ballot will remain sealed in the provisional ballot application envelope until the local board has completed its review of your application. If the board concludes that your ballot should be counted, it will be removed and separated from your application so that your vote will be kept secret. How Can I Find Out If My Ballot Was Counted Or Rejected? You may either call 1-800-222-8683 or click here to visit the website to find out if your provisional ballot was counted and, if not, the reason. This information will be available 10 days after the election.