The voter is sent to the ballot station after he or she has received, reviewed and signed the vote authorizing document. At the ballot station, the voter will receive his or her official ballot.
Attendants at the ballot station shall ensure that all information is correct on the vote-authorizing document and shall verify that ballot marking instructions and the proper ballot are issued to all voters. (If the voting site is using paper ballots and the site has more than one ballot style available, election officials shall use the Verified Barcode Transaction (VBT) process.)
The ballot station official shall also ensures that the voter has actually signed the vote-authorizing document and that the vote-authorizing documents are maintained at the ballot station in sequential order.
The ballot station must display a Voting Site Station Guide. The following supplies may be needed at the ballot Station, depending on the voting system used at the voting site:
barcode scanner
metal rings
spindle
“rubber fingers”
hole reinforcements for ATVs
ATV folder, bag or container
spoiled ballot folder, bag or container
ballot station sign
tabulator match sheet
tape
pens
Place ballot station sign on table or at station.
Set up and display the Voting Site Station Guide on the table.
Tape the Tabulator Match Sheet to table.
Review the list of ballot styles for voting site and confirmation that ample quantities are available.
Place one pack of each ballot style on the ballot table. If there are more ballot styles than space on the table, place the majority type (check ballot styles list) on the table and keep the others where they are accessible to ballot station officials and secure from the public.
Ensure that spoiled ballot log & envelope are available.
Organize ballot station supplies (metal rings, spindle, pens, rubber fingers, hole reinforcements).
Review the Station Guide.
Paper Ballots
Accept the vote-authorizing document from the voter.
Review the form carefully and ensure that the document is signed by the voter.
Retrieve the appropriate ballot style listed on the vote-authorizing document.
VBT: If the voting site has more than one ballot style, scan the barcode on the ballot, then scan the barcode on the vote-authorizing document to confirm that the correct ballot is retrieved.
If the ballots are coded by style, write the voter’s proper precinct number on the ballot.
During one-stop absentee voting, before issuing the ballot, write the one-stop absentee application number on the ballot.
If the voter is issued a provisional ballot, write the word “PROVISIONAL” on the ballot.
Sequentially number the vote-authorizing document and place the document on a spindle or in a notebook.
Direct the voter to the voting equipment and provide instructions as necessary. Be sure to instruct the voter to mark the ballot before placing the ballot into the tabulator.
If the voting site uses electronic voting equipment, accompany the voter to the voting equipment and enable the voting equipment with the proper precinct and ballot style selected for the voter. During one-stop, the absentee application number must also be entered.
If necessary, direct voters who have questions about ballot content to the election official assigned to provide voter assistance.
Electronic Voting Equipment
Accept the vote-authorizing document from the voter.
Review the form carefully and ensure that the document is signed by the voter.
Accompany the voter to the voting equipment.
Enable the voting equipment; select the proper precinct and ballot style for the voter.
During one-stop, the absentee application number must also be entered.
Return vote-authorizing document to the ballot station, sequentially number the form, and place form on the spindle.
During the voting day, it is recommended that ballot station officials remove the vote-authorizing documents from the spindle in sets of 100, bundle and place them in the proper storage folder, bag or container. It is recommended that ballot station officials use a Tabulator Match Sheet to periodically check the number of ATVs or one-stop applications issued with the ballots cast on the voting equipment.
A voter who makes a mistake may ask for a new ballot. The ballot station official shall take the ballot from the voter, write “SPOIL” across the ballot, and place it in a spoiled ballot envelope. The official shall make a record of the spoiled ballot on a Spoiled Ballot Log Sheet. A voter is not permitted to receive more than three replacement ballots.
One-stop Absentee Voting
At the end of the voting day during the one-stop voting period, count the number of unvoted ballots and record the count for reconciliation purposes.
Secure the unvoted ballots for use on the next one-stop voting day (if applicable).
Count the number of one-stop applications issued and record the count for reconciliation purposes. This information may be confirmed using the SOSA transaction reports from the check-in and help Stations.
The one-stop applications shall be placed in the proper storage folder or container for return to the county board of elections.
Election Day
Count the number of unvoted ballots and record the count on the ballot station checklist.
Secure the unvoted ballots in a manner determined by the county board of elections for return to the county board of elections office on election night.
The judges of election shall sign the last signed ATV form and record the number on the ballot station checklist.
Remove the last set of ATVs from the spindle, secure them and place them in the ATV storage folder, bag or container.
Count the number of spoiled ballots and ensure that the number matches the number of spoiled ballots entered on the Spoiled Ballot Log. Alert the chief judge if the numbers do not match.
Give the ballot station checklist, the Tabulator Match Sheet, the spoiled ballot envelope, and the secured ATVs to the chief judge.
Assist the chief judge with completing the Ballot Chain of Custody & Reconciliation Form.
Pack all unused forms and supplies.
Ballot Station Procedures (Optical Scan)
Ballot Station Procedures (Electronic)
