Skip to main content

Accounting for ballots returned from vote centers

Procedures for accounting for ballots returned from vote centers.

Overview

Staff open the bags of Live, Provisional and Conditional Voter Registration (CVR), Vote by Mail, Ballot Marking Devices (BMD), and Spoiled and Surrendered ballots returned from each vote center. Staff count each type of ballot and log the number of ballots returned from the vote centers. Staff verify that the amount reported by the vote center is the same as the number returned.

Staff account for returned ballots the day after receiving them.

The different types of ballots returned from vote centers:

  • Live ballots
  • Provisional ballots
  • Conditional Voter Registration (CVR) ballots
  • Vote By Mail (VBM) ballots
  • Ballot Marking Devices (BMD) ballots.
  • Spoiled ballots
  • Surrendered VBM ballots

Early voting ballots

 Open All Panels

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the Live ballots in a tray sorted by vote center labeled “Polls”.
  6. Store for tabulation team to process.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Unseal the bag.
  3. Separate the Provisional and CVR ballots in the bag.
  4. Count the number of Provisional ballots. Write the amount of ballots counted on the log sheet.
  5. Count the number of CVR ballots. Write the amount of ballots counted on the log sheet.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  6. Rubberband the Provisional ballots by precinct and put in a tub by precinct order.
  7. Rubberband the CVR ballots by precinct and put in a tub by precinct order.
  8. Store tubs for processing.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the VBM ballots in a tray labeled “Polls”.
  6. Store trays for sorting team to process.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the BMD ballots in a tray.
  6. Send to the Duplication team to process.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Store the Spoiled and Surrendered ballots.

Election day ballots

 Open All Panels

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of Live ballots counted on Election Night. The totals are on the batch card sheets.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted on Election Night.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the LIVE ballots back in bag and back on the shelf to await storage.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Unseal the bag.
  3. Separate the Provisional and CVR ballots in the bag.
  4. Count the number of Provisional ballots. Write the amount of ballots counted on the log sheet.
  5. Count the number of CVR ballots. Write the amount of ballots counted on the log sheet.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  6. Rubberband the Provisional ballots by precinct and put in a tub by precinct order.
  7. Rubberband the CVR ballots by precinct and put in a tub by precinct order.
  8. Store tubs for processing.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the VBM ballots in a tray labeled “Polls”.
  6. Store trays for sorting team to process.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Put the BMD ballots in a tray.
  6. Send to the Duplication team to process.

Working on one vote center at a time, staff:

  1. On the log sheet, put the number of ballots written on the bag. If there is no number on the bag, write NR (not recorded) on the log sheet.
  2. Open the bag and count the of ballots inside.
  3. On the log sheet, write the amount of ballots counted.
  4. Verify the number reported is the same as the amount counted.
    • If less ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. Look for misplaced ballots, check:
        • Red ballot return bags.
        • Black supply bags.
        • The blue VBM/Provisional bags.
        • The ballot box.
        • Supplies used at the vote center.
      3. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
    • If more ballots counted:
      1. Recount the ballots.
      2. If there are still less ballots:
        • Notify lead worker.
  5. Store the Spoiled and Surrendered ballots.

Related

Page last updated on December 18, 2024.

Was this page helpful?