Page 53 - October 2020 Issue_Neat

ballot in the mail unless we request it. confirming that they are eligible to vote.

The state is “still structured as a request This affidavit is signed in front of an

required mail-in ballot system which election official at the polling place. Th at
requires eligible voters to initiate the voter will have two weeks to document
process for receiving and casting mail-in proof that they were eligible to vote. If
ballots.” (ncsl.org) It is still one of those not, the vote will be rejected. Remember,
“if you don’t ask you don’t get” deals. If the provisional ballot is not the same as
you have not returned your application an electronic or mail-in ballot vote. It
or received your application in the is held separately from mail-in ballots
mail, go to www.elections.maryland. until the voter’s eligibility is proven. ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
gov or call our local Board of Elections (www.ncsl.org) ĂŝůLJ ĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ
at 410-479-8145 for help obtaining a
Provisional ballots look the same and list RN on Call
mail-in ballot today!
the same choices as regular ballots, but ,ŽŵĞ ŽŽŬĞĚ DĞĂůƐ͕
Dilly dallying about returning your officials only count provisionals in races ^ŶĂĐŬƐ Θ ĞǀĞƌĂŐĞƐ

application runs the risk of your request the voter is eligible to vote in. Perhaps a >ĂƵŶĚƌLJ Θ ,ŽƵƐĞŬĞĞƉŝŶŐ
for a mail-in ballot not being processed voter is eligible to vote in the presidential >ŝĐĞŶƐĞĚ ƚŽ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ
in time to vote. Procrastination, for race but not in the 1st Congressional ĂƌĞ ĨŽƌ >ĞǀĞůƐ ϭ͕Ϯ͕ϯ
whatever reason, could lead to your face-off between Andy Harris and DĞŵŽƌLJ ĂƌĞ
losing the opportunity to vote or having Mia Mason! In that case, the vote for ^ƉĞĐŝĂů ŝĞƚ Θ ŝŶŝŶŐ ƐƐŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ
to use a provisional ballot at the polls. congressional representation would
Provisional ballots are paper ballots not count. Check the status of voter WŽƐƚͲƌĞŚĂďŝůŝƚĂƟŽŶ WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉƐ
ǁŝƚŚ ŽĐƚŽƌƐ ĂŶĚ dŚĞƌĂƉŝƐƚƐ
that are securely collected and returned provisional votes at www.voterservices.
to our local election offi ce on election elections.maryland,gov. ĂŶĚ ŵƵĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ͘͘͘
night. They are used to record a vote www.arcadia-living.com
Provisionals are not alternatives to the
when the voter’s eligibility to vote is
electronic voting system. Remember Arcadia of Denton
in question. (ncsl.org) For instance, if
that in Maryland, provisionals are not 701 S. 5th Ave
a voter requests a mail-in ballot late
required to be counted by election (Formerly Gables at Caroline)
and does not receive the ballot in time
officials until the second Wednesday
for election day, but then goes to the Come Home to Arcadia
after the election. Voters have until 10

polls for early voting or on election
AM that day to prove eligibility. By law,
day and claims to have not received Your correct address and signature are
the votes are counted even if they don’t
(or not used) the mail-in ballot, that both part of the process that guarantee
change the election. (www.elections.
voter will receive a provisional ballot. an honest election! Call the Board of
maryland.gov) In Caroline County they
Provisional voters will not be able to put Elections for information about what is
have until November 12 to count them.
a provisional ballot in the scanner at the considered a valid ID.
Additionally, Maryland has multiple
polling place so those votes will not be
rules to determine if the vote is to be
tallied on election day. If you are not sure if you are properly
counted or if a provisional ballot is to be registered call our local Board
Another example of when a provisional rejected. Just remember that provisional of Elections at 410-479-8145 for
ballot is used would be if a voter’s votes tend to be used only in extremely registration assistance or go online to
name does not appear on the electoral close or tied races, so avoid this if you www.voterservices.elections.maryland.
roll for the county because the voter want to guarantee that your vote counts! gov to perform a voter lookup. Th is is
is registered to vote somewhere else, also the website to use to see the status
Provisional ballots are preventable.
say due to moving. That voter needs of your mail-in ballot once it has been
Make a plan on how you will handle the
to provide proof of address and may mailed out. Other options include www.
mechanics of this election. Th e deadline
have to go back to the area they are elections.maryland.gov or you can use
to register to vote in person, online,
registered in to vote on election day. your cell phone to text 777-88 then type
or by postmarked mail is October 13.
When a voter’s registration contains VOTE in the message box for a link to
Checking the correct status of your
inaccurate or outdated information, register or update your registration.
registration is the first step toward
even a misspelled name can prompt a
making sure your vote counts. If you
provisional ballot. The voter’s eligibility You may also text 777-88 and message

have moved from another county
to vote must be determined before the VBM for an online Voter Ballot. If you
and have not notified the Board of
provisional ballot is counted. (www. are a registered voter and choose to vote

Elections, it will affect your registration
wikipedia. com) by mall but have not yet received your
and ability to vote in this jurisdiction. “Request for a Mail-in Ballot” from the
When a provisional ballot is issued, the You must prove where you live to be State Board of Elections, the request
voter is required to sign an affi rmation able to register to vote by October 13. deadline is October 20! However, you
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