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Provisional and CVR Ballot Counting Guidelines

Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters, Elections

Rev. 5/15/23

Index

Provisional Ballot Guidelines

Provisional Ballot Guidelines

Condition Action Count/Do Not Count Reason
Voter in active file.   Count ballot.  
Voter in inactive file at same address as on provisional envelope. Restore voter to active. Count ballot. Appears voter has been continuously registered at same address in Marin County.
Voter is in inactive file. Both current and prior addresses on envelope are in Marin County, and do or do not match the address in the inactive file. Change voter's address to the current address on the provisional envelope. Count ballot. This is a fail safe voter who is registered to vote in Marin County but moved within County and did not reregister.
Voter writes a business or mailing address as current residence address on envelope. Voter is in active file. Check voter's signature. Count ballot if signature matches and voter is in ACTIVE file. Voter's residence address is the address on file in the elections office.
Voter voted in a different precinct from the one where they live. Duplicate ballot to count only those races that the voter is qualified to vote for, based on their residence address. Count duplicated ballot. Permitted by Election Code.
Voter has signed the provisional ballot envelope, but has not provided current address on envelope. Voter is in active file. Check voter's signature. Count ballot if voter voted on correct ballot. Count duplicated ballot, if voted on incorrect ballot. Voter is registered.
Voter's current address on envelope is outside of Marin County. Voter is in inactive file.   Do not count ballot. Voter must be a registered voter in Marin County.
Voter has not signed provisional envelope.   Do not count ballot. Provisional envelope must be signed. Send the voter a signature cure letter
System shows that voter has already voted by mail.   Do not count ballot. Voter cannot vote more than once.
System shows that voter has already voted at a vote center.   Do not count ballot. Give to Assistant Registrar. Voter cannot vote more than once.

CVR Ballot Guidelines

CVR Ballot Guidelines

Condition Action Count/Do Not Count
Voter in cancelled file. Enter info on envelope to register voter Count ballot.
Voter is in pending file. Enter info on envelope to register voter. Count ballot, if needed info given.
Voter is not in system. Enter info on envelope to register voter. Count ballot.
Voter is inactive. Voter's address on envelope does not match the address on file, but both addresses are in Marin County. Voter has written prior address on envelope that is outside of County. Date on envelope shows that voter moved before E-15. Enter info on envelope to register voter. Count ballot.
Voter registered after the 15 day registration deadline for election. Enter info on envelope to register voter. Count ballot.
Voter voted in a different precinct from the one where they live. Duplicate ballot to count only those races that the voter is qualified to vote for, based on their residence address. Count duplicated ballot.
Voter has not signed CVR envelope. CVR envelope must be signed. Do not count ballot. Send the voter a signature cure letter.
System shows that voter has already voted by mail.   Do not count ballot.
System shows that voter has already voted at a vote center.   Do not count ballot. Give to Assistant Registrar.