MI May Have Lots of Spoiled Ballots

Michigan's Election has more than 77,483 Spoiled Ballots, but that may be OK.

The Number, which drew National Attention when it was Reported Requires some Context, said Tracy Wimmer, a Spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office. It includes Ballots Spoiled because of Printing Errors and Ones Voters Intentionally Spoiled so they could Fill-Out their Absentee Ballots Again.

"We do not have a breakdown on spoiled reasons, but the biggest thing to focus on is that spoiled does not mean rejected," Wimmer said. "In no instance with a spoiled ballot does that mean someone did not vote, unless they actively chose not to."

Wimmer said the Major Reasons for Spoiled Ballots are:

- Printing Errors discovered Prior to the Ballot reaching the Voter. There were Several Thousand of those, Spokesman Jake Rollow said. The Ballot is Spoiled and a New One is Printed and Issued to the Voter, who is still able to Vote.

- The Voter decided to Change their Vote or thinks they might have made a Mistake after voting Absentee. They go to their Local Clerk to Spoil the Ballot Sent in Earlier and can Fill-Out a New One.

- The Voter is Alerted to a Signature Issue on the Ballot by their Clerk and when they go in to Cure the error they Elect to Spoil the Ballot and cast a New One.

- The Voter is concerned their Ballot will Not reach them or the Clerk in time because of Mail Delays. They can Elect to go In-Person to their Clerk’s Office, Request to spoil their Original Ballot and receive a New One.

Michigan is One of only a Few States where Voters who have sent in an Absentee Ballot can go to the Clerk and Retrieve it, up to the Day before Election Day, Spoil it, and Fill Out a New Ballot.

Reasons can vary but they include Voters who Change their Minds about Who they want to Support and those who Realize or Suspect they made an Error the First Time around. Ballots can also be Rejected because of Voter Error.

For Example, Ballots are Rejected if a Voter Marks an Intention to Vote Straight Ticket and then Votes for Candidates from both Major Political Parties. Those types of Errors are Not Detected until Officials start Counting the Ballots. Counting began for Absentee Ballots at 7 a.m. Tuesday Nov. 3rd Morning and will begin for Same-Day Ballots as soon as the Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

In New York, you can go to Early Voting Sites or on Election Day, and Vote In-Person. This Automsticlly Voids you Absentee or Mailed-in-Ballot when it finally arrives at your Election Office or if it already Arrived, but Not Counted, the Polling Site Person Checking you in, Voids the Mailed Ballot.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker