What is a provisional ballot and why are they necessary?
A provisional ballot is a ballot provided to a voter whose eligibility to vote is not immediately established on Election Day. Provisional voting ensures that every qualified and registered voter has the opportunity to vote a ballot that will be counted on Election Day. For example, when voters arrive at the polling place on Election Day, the election judges check the poll book (a list of all of the jurisdiction’s registered voters), to confirm that the voter is properly registered and at the correct polling place. Prior to provisional voting, if a person’s name was not in the poll book, they were not allowed to vote. With provisional voting, a voter whose name is not found in the poll book on Election Day is given a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots ensure that no voter is turned away from the polls. After Election Day, the election official will evaluate the voter’s eligibility to determine whether the ballot should be counted.
