October 24, 2024
Here are just a few of the most common reasons why 2024 election mail in and absentee ballots are rejected.
One you missed the deadline. Every state has a deadline for when those ballots need to be returned. United States Postal Service says if you plan to put the ballot in the mail, you need to assume it’s going to take seven days to get to your elections headquarters. It – of course could be less than that – but do you really want to take the chance? I actually outlined all the “extraordinary measures” USPS has already started to implement for this election in this video. You can always of course hand deliver your ballot to your local elections office and some states have ballot drop boxes available.
Another reason why your ballot may be rejected – you forgot to sign it! The signature box is often found on the ballot envelope.
The third most common reason why ballots could be questioned or rejected is that the signature on the ballot does not match the signature on your voter registration.
Fourth – you haven’t filled out your ballot properly! Read the instructions that come with your ballot. Some states require you to use a certain ink color either blue or black. And all states require you to fill in the bubble or box completely to indicate who you’re voting for. So really fill that in.
And fifth – your ballot could be rejected because it’s missing extra documentation. Some states require a witness signature or photo id.
You may be thinking – they can’t reject my ballot. That’s not legal. Yes. It absolutely *is* legal. In fact – according to an analysis by MIT — in 2020 depending on the state anywhere from less than one percent to 5-percent of mail in and absentee ballots were rejected for one of the reasons I just mentioned. So remember — it’s not good enough that you properly register, fill out your ballot and get it in on time. It also matters that you fill it out properly according to the rules of your state.
This is no one else’s responsibility but your own. So if you want to vote and you want it to count, then read the damn instructions before you turn it in.
