How do I sign my mail-in ballot?

The 2020 general election is just weeks away (Nov. 3). Politics aside, this presidential election will be unlike any other in living memory as millions of Pennsylvanians are expected to cast their ballot without stepping into a polling place. But between changes to state law, federal lawsuits over the process and the logistical challenges of voting in a pandemic, countless voters are uncertain about many of the specifics.

That’s why The Morning Call is creating a new series tackling questions Pennsylvania voters may encounter between now and Election Day. If you have questions about the elections process, fill out the form at the bottom of this story.

Where should I sign my mail-in ballot?

When Pennsylvania voters go to their polling place to cast their ballot, they’ll have to sign a poll book before they’re allowed to vote. Voters using absentee or mail-in ballots must provide their signature as well.

After voters complete their absentee or mail-in ballot, they must put it in their secrecy envelope. This is a white envelope that reads “Official Election Ballot.” The secrecy envelope then must go into a larger mailing envelope that is already addressed to their local elections office. This outer envelope already has postage and does not need a stamp.

The outer envelope has a declaration on the back that must be signed and dated by the voter. County election offices will reject any ballot that does not have a valid signature or date. This standard has been in place for years and was reaffirmed in a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling.

The outer envelope is the only part of the package getting mailed back that should bear a signature. The secrecy envelope and ballot must not

be marked with any personal identifying information on it, or it will be voided by the county.

According to figures reported by the state, 115 ballots in Lehigh County and 33 ballots in Northampton County were rejected in the primary because they did not have a signature. Statewide, 1,773 ballots were rejected due to lacking a signature, the same document showed.

Counties have some discretion in how closely ballot signatures need to match the name listed on the voter rolls. It does not, however, need to be a carbon copy match.

Over time, people’s signatures sometimes change. Something as serious as a stroke or as common as arthritis can alter how a person signs their name. Both local and state election officials said counties cannot reject ballots if the penmanship on a ballot does not closely match what’s on file. The only exception is if there are obvious signs of tampering, such as if several ballots clearly have the same person’s handwriting on them.

The name on the ballot matters, too, but again counties have some discretion. In a YouTube video advising residents on how to fill out their mail-in ballot, Northampton County instructed voters to sign their mail-in ballot “exactly the way you would at the polls.”

Lehigh County Chief Clerk of Elections Tim Benyo said Lehigh County would honor ballots where the names are close but do not perfectly match. For example, if voter John Q. Public signed his ballot as Johnny Public, the county would not reject the ballot.

Republican lawmakers have proposed tightening signature rules, which would allow counties to challenge ballots where signatures do not closely align. That plan is included in a bill before the state Senate, but Gov. Tom Wolf has threatened to veto the bill if it arrives on his desk — due in part to the signature language.

What’s a ‘naked’ ballot?

Social media has exploded in the past week with reminders about “naked” ballots — which are absentee or mail-in ballots that arrive at the county election office without a secrecy envelope.

Counties are barred from counting these ballots under state law.

Wanda Murren, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State, said the state did not track how many ballots were rejected in the primary because they arrived without a secrecy ballot. However, Lisa Deeley, an election commissioner in Philadelphia, estimated that her county alone could see 30,000 to 40,000 naked ballots tossed in November.

Rejecting that many ballots could swing the election, she warned. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania by about 44,000 votes in 2016. Polling indicates the race between Trump and challenger Joe Biden is shaping up to be tight as well, and some prognosticators believe Pennsylvania could decide who takes the White House.

Deeley called on the General Assembly to change the rules around naked ballots but found little interest. The state Supreme Court upheld the existing system in a ruling last week, and Republican leaders have signaled they will not alter the law.

Does my signature need to exactly match the one on my voter registration card?