What is a provisional ballot? (2024)
A provisional ballot is a ballot cast by a voter whose eligibility to vote cannot be proven at the polls on Election Day. If, after the election, administrators determine that the voter who cast the provisional ballot was eligible to vote, the ballot will be counted as a regular ballot. Federal law requires most states to provide for a provisional balloting process (states that had enacted same-day voter registration processes as of 1993 were exempted from this requirement). As of 2024, every state except Idaho and Minnesota had established a provisional voting process.[1]
Although federal law mandates provisional voting processes, the states themselves define those processes. Consequently, provisional balloting can vary widely from state to state.[1]
See also
- Voting in 2024
- Who can I contact with questions about voting?
- Who runs elections in the United States?
- Why do states have different election rules?
- Can I register to vote online?
- Does my state have same-day voter registration?
- Do I need voter ID?
- Do I have to vote for everything on my ballot?
- What happens if I mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
- Can I take a ballot selfie?
- Is my employer required to grant me time off to vote? • Can I vote if I have a felony conviction?
- Can I vote if I am not a citizen?
- How are candidates ordered on the ballot?
- What does it mean to challenge a voter's eligibility, and who can do it?
- How can I learn more about how my jurisdiction administers elections?
Footnotes
