08/01/2024
You may have noticed that I rarely post to Facebook, but this topic was so important to me that I felt compelled to speak on it.
Someone made a social media post stating that your vote could be disqualified if a poll worker writes or makes a mark on it. This statement is FALSE. This statement is INACCURATE. This statement is ERRONEOUS. This statement is INCORRECT. This statement is NOT TRUE. This statement is FAKE NEWS. This statement is a LIE. This applies to multiple states including Arkansas (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/10/20/fact-check-poll-workers-notes-dont-mean-ballot-rejected/5989181002/).
I have not found a single state where writing on a ballot is an automatic disqualifier (https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/electionofficials/pollworkers/Compendium_2020.pdf).
I know that people are trying to be helpful, but this election cycle is too important to be sharing FALSE information so please do a bit of research before you click the share button.
When a post with “information” or a “warning” starts with “a reliable source” or “a personal friend” or any nonspecific descriptor as to the originator of the statement to follow, that should be a caution flag.
When this “important information” does not include researchable references, that should be a caution flag.
When this important information can ONLY be found by clicking on links to partisan sites, that should be a caution flag.
Since we’re already in the neighborhood, let’s take a quick look at poll watchers. Poll watchers are not poll workers and have their own set of rules, but marking ballots is not part of their job description (https://www.arkansas.gov/sbec/faqs/ %20Watchers).
Poll watchers may NOT be within six feet (6’) of any voting machine or booth used by voters to cast their ballot
Poll watchers may NOT speak to any voter or in any way attempt to influence a voter inside the polling site or within one
hundred feet (100’) of the primary exterior entrance used by voters to the building containing the polling site
Poll watchers may NOT disrupt the orderly conduct of the election.
