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Supervisor of elections dispels election-related myths
| Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008 |
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PINELLAS COUNTY - Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark has heard the rumors circulating: no campaign clothing allowed at the polling place, such as your driver license address must match your address on file or you can’t vote; absentee ballots aren’t counted unless the race is close and more.
“This type of thing happens every presidential election, but these rumors and other issues need to be cleared up,” Clark said. “We don’t want voters to be discouraged from voting by mail or going to the polls on Election Day.”
Here are the most recent myths and issues, along with Clark’s responses:
Someone came to my door offering to deliver my ballot to the Elections Office.
The Supervisor of Elections office was notified of two recent instances of individuals going door-to-door offering to deliver ballots to the Elections Office. At least one of those ballots was delivered to the Elections Office, but voters are urged not to give their ballots to a stranger. Instead, mail or deliver your ballot to any Elections office: 13001 Starkey Rd., Largo, 33773; 315 Court St., Room 117, Clearwater, 33756; or 501 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 33701.
Or, between October 20 and November 1, voters may take their ballots to one of the 14 secure ballot drop-off locations throughout the county. All dropoff locations have a secure ballot box and an elections staff person for the safety of the ballots. Specific locations, days and times of operation for the dropoff sites are included in the mail ballot kits and posted to our Web site – www.votepinellas.com. Ballots must be received in any Elections Office by 7 p.m. Election Day.
Will I be allowed to vote if my address on my driver license doesn’t match the address on my voter file?
Yes. The driver license is strictly used to verify a voter’s identity. State law requires that you vote in the precinct in which you live. If you have moved since you last voted, a poll worker will verify whether you still live in the same precinct. If not, you will be directed to the correct precinct.
How does this no-match, no-vote law work if my voter registration application is pending and I show up to vote?
Citizens whose voter registration applications are pending should have received a letter informing them that their identification information could not be verified and asking them to provide a copy of their identification to the Elections Office.
If a citizen with a pending application brought identification to the polls that matches the identification number that he/she has on the application, the application would be considered completed, and the voter would be given a regular ballot.
If the information did not match the application, the voter would be given a provisional ballot and has until 5 p.m. the second day after the election to provide the required identification information.
I’ve heard that absentee ballots (mail ballots) aren’t counted unless the race is close. Is this true?
No. By state law, all accepted mail ballots are included in the official election results certified to the State.
I’ve heard that having to vote a provisional ballot is the “kiss of death” – provisional ballots are never counted. Is this true?
No. Provisional ballots are researched after the election to determine the voter’s eligibility. If a voter’s eligibility is confirmed, his or her provisional ballot is opened and counted and included along with all other official election results certified to the State.
Am I allowed to wear a campaign shirt to the polling place?
Yes. Voters may wear campaign clothing to the polling place.
They cannot actively campaign or participate in any political activity within the 100-foot zone outside the polling place, but they can stand in line or walk through the zone in order to vote.
Poll workers, however, are not allowed to wear clothing supporting or opposing any candidate or ballot issue.
For any additional election-related information, call 727-464-6788, or visit www.votepinellas.com.
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Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008
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