海角破解版

Throughout October, ideastream is answering your questions about the election, voting and more. We talked with Faith Lyon, director of the Portage County Board of Elections, and got answers to your many ballot signature validation questions.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for similarities and closeness,鈥� she told ideastream. 鈥淲e understand certain conditions cause individual signatures to maybe vary daily. So we鈥檙e really looking for that consistency of what is close to your normal signature.鈥�

For those voting in person, Lyon said the identification you show to the poll worker will verify who you are. As for writing your name on the signature pad, 鈥渢hat helps us to keep our records updated with the voter so that we can continue to update and make sure we have the most recent signature on file for comparison,鈥� she said.

In ideastream鈥檚 Public Square Facebook Group, Thomas asked how a signature is validated.

鈥淲hen ballots come back to our office, we actually have a bipartisan team 鈥� a Democrat and a Republican 鈥� that both look at that ballot and that signature,鈥� Lyon explained. 鈥淎nd if they鈥檙e still not certain or just feel, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know 100 percent if that signature matches this voter,鈥� then that ballot鈥檚 brought to the director and deputy director for our review. And then it鈥檚 determined whether we can accept it or not.鈥�

What鈥檚 My Name?

A Jane Doe told ideastream she鈥檚 unsure how she signed her name on her absentee ballot request. 鈥淛ane Doe, Jane M. Doe, Jane Mary Doe or JM Doe. If there鈥檚 a mismatch when I drop off my ballot early, will my ballot be rejected?鈥� she asked, 鈥淚f rejected, will I be notified?鈥�

鈥淲hen it comes to a middle name or a middle initial, that is not our focus,鈥� Lyon said. 鈥淎s long as we have Jane Doe, that鈥檚 what we really care about. The 鈥楳ary鈥� or the middle initial, if you happen to have signed it with that on your application but forgot it on your ballot, we do not care that that is missing. What we really want to see is your first name and your last name.鈥�

Lyon said boards of elections recognize voters may use multiple versions of their name.

鈥淪ome are hyphenated. Some are just two last names. Some people have multiple first names, multiple middle names and they sign different records in different ways,鈥� she said.

So if, for peace of mind, someone wants to verify which version of a signature or name is on file, as Noel and Judy asked, Lyon recommended calling the board of elections where they鈥檙e registered and 鈥渏ust explain their situation of, 鈥楾his is my name. I just can鈥檛 remember how I sign or how I registered with your office. Can you confirm that for me?鈥� And we can confirm that over the phone.鈥�

Can I Get A Witness?

For one woman, whose husband was recently diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚, 鈥淲e are worried that his current signature may vary from that on record. How can we be sure that his ballot is counted?鈥�

According to Lyon, Ohio revised code makes allowances for witnesses.

鈥淲hat you can always do especially when somebody does have an illness or maybe even an injury to their arm that prevents their signature from looking close to what it has been in the past, have that person sign what their signature is currently and you can always put next to it the phrase, 鈥榳itnessed by鈥� and a family member can sign by it to show that they are verifying that it is the person who is indeed signing,鈥� she said.

There isn鈥檛 a specific line for a witness signature, but Lyon said a witness can sign in the same box next to the voter鈥檚 signature.

鈥淏ecause there are some individuals due to a disability, they might only be able to mark an X,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd by that X you would just write 鈥榳itnessed by鈥� and your name of the individual who is witnessing that signature.鈥�

Ben in Old Brooklyn said he requested an absentee ballot, 鈥渂ut my signature has changed and become simplified. I already had a letter sent to me requesting a verification of my signature.鈥�

That verification request was likely a . Lyon said Ohio law requires boards of elections to notify a voter when there鈥檚 a discrepancy, such as a mismatched signature or any information missing on their identification envelope such as a missing Social Security number or date of birth.

鈥淪o there鈥檚 always a second chance but you have to participate in that second chance. So if you do get a mailing from the board of elections office, don鈥檛 wait. Open it up,鈥� Lyon said, and fill out the requested information and return it before the deadline listed on the form.

And when you fill out and sign your vote-by-mail ballot, Lyon cautioned, be sure to use a blue or black ballpoint pen.

鈥淣ever use any type of a felt or a gel pen because those will bleed on your ballot and could make a mark that is not intentional,鈥� she said.

In the end, the Portage County Board of Elections isn鈥檛 looking for the perfect match, Lyon said, and they鈥檙e no handwriting experts.

鈥淲e just want the match to where we are comfortable to say that that is John Doe. That is John Doe鈥檚 ballot. That鈥檚 John Doe鈥檚 information and that鈥檚 John Doe鈥檚 signature,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are confident that John Doe filled out that ballot and returned it to us.鈥�