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Many who have already voted in the 2022 midterm elections may have done so using an absentee or mail-in ballot. In order to better prevent the risk of election fraud, some states have implemented ballot verification rules to ensure the authenticity of a voter's ballot.
Currently, 27 states require absentee ballots to be verified using a few different methods: signature match, voter signature only, notary or witness signatures, photo ID, or the last four digits of a person's Social Security number.
The states that require some form of verification are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Iowa, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Ohio, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The states that do not require ballot verification for voters using absentee ballots: Missouri, Oklahoma, Georgia, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Louisana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Nebraska, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Three states — Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma — require the envelope containing the absentee ballot to be notarized, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
A signature match is when the signature on the voter's ballot is compared to that on the citizen's voter registration record, a provisional ballot, or an affidavit. If the signatures match, the vote is counted. If an election official does not find the signature to be a sufficient match, the vote is not counted.
Any information missing or incorrect on a voter's ballot in comparison with their voter registration record can also cause the vote to be rejected. Make sure all of your registration information is up to date before submitting your ballot.
Some states, and the District of Columbia, only require the voter's signature to verify the ballot. However, election officials can still use a voter's record to check that the signature is sufficient.
Several states require multiple forms of verification, including a photocopy of your driver's license or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
A few states also require a notary or witness signature to be present on your ballot in order for it to be counted.
If a ballot is rejected, oftentimes it will be returned to the voter so that they can correct the error. This is called the signature "cure" process. There are 24 states that require voters to be notified when there is a signature missing or a signature discrepancy on their ballot. In states where this process is not required, ballots are thrown out. Be sure to check if your state has a signature curing process and what you can do to make sure your ballot is counted if it was sent back to you.
