NEW LOOK BALLOTS
Voter Services adds orange to absentee ballots
Mail-in ballot requests may be dropping from their highs in the 2020 election in Chester County, but the voting method which allows voters to skip a trip to their local polling place still remains significantly popular.
And also problematic. As voters test out the mail-in option, some make mistakes in filling out their ballots and putting them in the mailbox, leading to them being refused because of a missing date or the lack of a proper envelope.
Karen Barsoum, the director of the county’s Office of Voter Services, has consistently urged voters who want to mail in their ballots to take extra time and care in filling out the documents so they are accepted as valid, and not make “kitchen table” mistakes while absentmindedly marking them up while sharing coffee with the family.
So for this year’s May 16 Primary Election, county voters who choose to vote by mail-in or absentee ballot will notice the addition of color to the ballot pack they receive.
Voter Services has added the color orange to the mail-in ballot
secrecy envelope and an orange stripe to the return declaration envelope to help clarify the steps that must be taken to correctly complete and return a mailin or absentee ballot.
And to help clearly demonstrate the mail-in and absentee ballot process, Chester County Voter Services has produced a video detailing the steps to complete and return a mail-in ballot for the Primary Election. The video can be seen here: https:// youtu.be/70iohvFSQ_U
In addition to highlighting all steps in completing a mail-in or absentee ballot, the video explains how the ballots can be returned and notes important deadlines in the voting process.
Director of Voter Services Karen Barsoum, who narrates the video, said, “Voter Services is continually reviewing the ways that ensure the process for everyone who chooses to vote by mail-in or absentee ballots is as straightforward as possible, so that their ballot is counted. Not just how to fill in the ballot, but to make sure the ballot is prepared the right way for mailing.
“Once their mail-in or absentee ballot is completed, voters should place the ballot inside the secrecy envelope and seal it, then place it inside the pre-addressed declaration envelope, which should be sealed, signed and dated. This year, that secrecy envelope is solid