Absentee ballot problems

[DoYouEverWonder]

For all the folks who think their vote is safe by using an absentee ballot, think again. Here's the latest excuse/reason for discarding ballots, gee you signature doesn't match.



County urges voters to update signatures

Sep 26, 2004

You no longer draw little hearts instead of dots on the letter "i"? Has your formerly flowing cursive - once as artful as calligraphy - devolved into an incomprehensible mess?

If so, you'd better let the Alachua County elections office know in case you want to vote absentee.

About 50 absentee ballots out of 5,079 had to be thrown out for the Aug. 31 election because the signature on the ballot envelope did not match the signature on file with the elections office.

Alachua County Commissioner Penny Wheat, a member of the election canvassing board, said the board spent 4 1/2 hours reviewing signatures to try to find similarities on absentee ballots.

"I would encourage anyone who may have registered to vote many, many years ago, or who may have had an accident . . . to file a change of signature form with the elections office," Wheat said. "Your signature has to resemble the signature on file in order for the absentee ballot to be filed."


http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040926/LOCAL/209260313/1078/today&template=printart

[2Design]

1. this is so bs - just have a witness and notary with the person's voter

card - they are looking for any excuse to eliminate votes

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. I believe they eliminated the rule

that required people to have a witness sign their ballot. Wouldn't do much go, unless it was noterized, which would be a major hassle for most people.

[2Design]

4. any bank has a notary and real estate offices

but people can go in person and vote early

[napi21]

3. I don't like the notary idea because lots of people who vote

absentee are stuck at home for some reason, and would have just as difficult a time getting to a notary as they do getting to the polls.

My problem with checking signatures is "Why would you do it at all?" You can't just pick up a blank absentee ballot! You have to apply for one, and the gov't sends it to you in the mail. As long as the ballot you send back hasn't been altered, what would make it invalid? This is just foolishness!!