What are "provisional ballots"?

[Wingznut]

How are they different than absentee ballots?

 

[GTaudiophile]

If OH doesn't improve...you'll be sick of "PVs" very soon. Can you say, hanging chad?

 

[Emveach]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
If OH doesn't improve...you'll be sick of "PVs" very soon. Can you say, hanging chad?

Nothing to improve. Counting all votes, if they are closer then the number of provisional ballots, the results will wait. If the vote margin between the 2 is larger then the number of PVs, then they don't need to worry about it. Simple math, and working fine.

 

[Wingznut]

Ok... But what are they? And how are they different than absentee ballots?

 

[DrCool]

They're 'illigetimate' ballots..

The new federal law passed in 2002 (EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE INITIATIVE), allows ANYONE to go to a polling place on election day and demand a ballot.. the ballot they recieve is 'provisional', meaning it's not legitimate..

these ballots are held onto and are not counted with the standard ballots and absentee ballots.

they won't even be considered unless the margin of the race is very very close (less then 1 percentage point), and even then, they are throughly inspected and verified to ensure they are from legitimate persons, who have a right to vote..

THEY ARE NOT ABSENTEE BALLOTS, but ballots cast by individuals who DID NOT REGISTER, and should not have ANY right to vote.

 

[Kibbo]

As far as I understand, if a person is turned away from the polls for some reason (ie, records say they are a criminal, already voted, etc) then they can challenge the decision and fill out a provisional ballot. If the election is close enough in that state for the provisional ballots to make a difference, the complaints from the alledgedly disenfranchised voters are heard, and those who's challenges are found to be valid are counted.

Absentee ballots are votes from citizens who are outside of the country/state. Mail-in ballots.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: DrCool
They're 'illigetimate' ballots..

The new federal law passed in 2002 (EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE INITIATIVE), allows ANYONE to go to a polling place on election day and demand a ballot.. the ballot they recieve is 'provisional', meaning it's not legitimate..

these ballots are held onto and are not counted with the standard ballots and absentee ballots.

they won't even be considered unless the margin of the race is very very close (less then 1 percentage point), and even then, they are throughly inspected and verified to ensure they are from legitimate persons, who have a right to vote..

THEY ARE NOT ABSENTEE BALLOTS, but ballots cast by individuals who DID NOT REGISTER, and should not have ANY right to vote.

Thanks.

This is going to be a complete mess, if Kerry has enough PV support.

 

[Budarow]

They are ballots of people who claim are registered legal voters but for some reason, they are not included in the registered voter rolls at the pole (i.e., NEWLY registered voters may not show up in the rolls because the rolls were not updated AFTER they registered to vote).

Apparently, in Ohio, 1 millions 1st time voters registered to include a lot of college students, and some religious people looking to vote down the gay marriage proposals. So...there may be a lot of Kerry votes in the provisional ballets or the relgious right may have more.

We'll wait and see...

 

[BunLengthHotDog]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: DrCool
They're 'illigetimate' ballots..

The new federal law passed in 2002 (EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE INITIATIVE), allows ANYONE to go to a polling place on election day and demand a ballot.. the ballot they recieve is 'provisional', meaning it's not legitimate..

these ballots are held onto and are not counted with the standard ballots and absentee ballots.

they won't even be considered unless the margin of the race is very very close (less then 1 percentage point), and even then, they are throughly inspected and verified to ensure they are from legitimate persons, who have a right to vote..

THEY ARE NOT ABSENTEE BALLOTS, but ballots cast by individuals who DID NOT REGISTER, and should not have ANY right to vote.

Thanks.

This is going to be a complete mess, if Kerry has enough PV support.

1) Its not a percentage that decides whether or not they are used, its overall numbers. If the number of provisional ballots total greater than the difference between the top candidates, they will be used.

OH is an easy example. If the difference is 100,000 votes, and there are 300,000 prov ballots, they will "need" to be counted. If its less, it cannot impact the outcome.

2) They are not ballots by those who "did not register" its typically new voters who are not on the register (that HAVE recently registered). They have to verify the address etc of the person on the ballot before it gets counted. If they find that person is NOT registered, its not counted.

 

[DrCool]

BunLenghtHotDog

thanks for adding some more clairification..

but think about it, what prevents ANYONE (non-citizen, someone who just goes to more the one polling place, etc) to take advantage of this procedure?

yes, the main reason for this 'provisional' ballot was what you explained, but with the new law passed in 2002, it gives the possiblity of greater voter fraud.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: DrCool
BunLenghtHotDog

thanks for adding some more clairification..

but think about it, what prevents ANYONE (non-citizen, someone who just goes to more the one polling place, etc) to take advantage of this procedure?

yes, the main reason for this 'provisional' ballot was what you explained, but with the new law passed in 2002, it gives the possiblity of greater voter fraud.

That's why it's so intensive to have to count the PV's... They have to go through them one by one, to determine their validity.

Btw... In 2000, 100,000 PV's were cast. It was determined that 91% of them were valid.

 

[DrCool]

Wingznut..

that may be true, but like i said, a NEW law came about in 2002.. which changes from the previous stance on Provisional ballots..

 

[element]

What provisional ballots really are:

When you register to vote, you have the option of picking a party affiliation, in order to vote in the primaries. Some pick Republican, others pick Democrat, some pick independant, and there is also a choice for none of the above.

You have to choose either Dem or Rep. to vote in each respective primary.

When the people that receive these registration forms see you want to register the party they are against, they throw your registration form in the trash. This way, your name is not "on the list" and when you go to vote in Nov. your vote is labelled provisional, and is not counted unless its a close race.

 

[Emveach]

Originally posted by: element
What provisional ballots really are:

When you register to vote, you have the option of picking a party affiliation, in order to vote in the primaries. Some pick Republican, others pick Democrat, some pick independant, and there is also a choice for none of the above.

You have to choose either Dem or Rep. to vote in each respective primary.

When the people that receive these registration forms see you want to register the party they are against, they throw your registration form in the trash. This way, your name is not "on the list" and when you go to vote in Nov. your vote is labelled provisional, and is not counted unless its a close race.

Not in Ohio. We don't have to pick a party in Ohio when we register. The only time we become aligned in a party is after we vote in our first primary.

 

[DrCool]

element

that is quite the conspriacy theroy you have there..

Emveach, he isn't being serious, as that is obviously absurd and untrue.