North Carolina election officials clarify ballot marking procedures

Officials state that an election worker writing on a ballot does not invalidate it, contrary to what social media posts have said.
Photo credit: WLOS Staff

By Marisa Sardonia, Friday, August 2, 2024.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Social media posts have been circulating saying that if an election worker writes on a ballot, that automatically invalidates it.

In North Carolina, however, this is false.

Election workers often write on ballots for different reasons as required by law.

Election workers write an identifying number on ballots for voters who vote by mail or during the in-person early voting period. It is a special number that is assigned to each ballot and voter.

It allows the ballot to be retrieved and not counted if necessary, such as if the person votes multiple times or dies before Election Day.

The 2024 general election is on Nov. 5.

The first absentee ballots are expected to be sent out on Sept. 6.

In-person early voting will run from Oct. 17 through Nov. 2.

Read the complete WLOS news story here.