If you requested and received an early ballot but you have not yet returned it, I would not mail it at this point, one day before the election. In this case, the postmark date doesn't do you any good; the ballot must be received by tomorrow, November 6, 2012. To make sure that your vote is counted, you can drop off your completed and signed early ballot at any Maricopa County Polling place. You usually do not have to stand on line to do this. Never give your ballot to a stranger who offers to deliver it for you!
If you mailed your early ballot, the County will try to notify you directly that your ballot was rejected for any reason. There are several reasons that a ballot might be rejected, including forgetting to sign the outside of the envelope before mailing or a signature on file that does not match the signature on the envelope.
You can verify online that your Arizona ballot was accepted and that your vote will count. I did that, and it was easy. While you can check on the State of Arizona website, it is easier on the Maricopa County Elections website, especially if you don't have your driver license number or voter ID number committed to memory. All you have to know on the county website is your name, date of birth and your Social Security number. You will be advised if your ballot was received and was accepted.
If your ballot was sent to you, but they have not yet received or processed it, it will indicate that the status is pending. If your early ballot was rejected, or your early ballot was spoiled or lost and you never replaced it, go to your polling place with appropriate ID and tell them. They will check to make sure that your vote was not counted and, assuming you have not already voted, you will be allowed to vote.
If you mailed your early ballot, the County will try to notify you directly that your ballot was rejected for any reason. There are several reasons that a ballot might be rejected, including forgetting to sign the outside of the envelope before mailing or a signature on file that does not match the signature on the envelope.
You can verify online that your Arizona ballot was accepted and that your vote will count. I did that, and it was easy. While you can check on the State of Arizona website, it is easier on the Maricopa County Elections website, especially if you don't have your driver license number or voter ID number committed to memory. All you have to know on the county website is your name, date of birth and your Social Security number. You will be advised if your ballot was received and was accepted.
If your ballot was sent to you, but they have not yet received or processed it, it will indicate that the status is pending. If your early ballot was rejected, or your early ballot was spoiled or lost and you never replaced it, go to your polling place with appropriate ID and tell them. They will check to make sure that your vote was not counted and, assuming you have not already voted, you will be allowed to vote.
Comments
My wife’s ballot was rejected, but we never received it and of course couldn’t send it in. Does this mean it was stolen and sent in by someone else?
Hi Tom,
If it is shown as rejected, that is probably good — that means that she can go to her assigned polling place and they can look up and see that her vote was not cast already and she should be able to vote. Let me know how it turns out.
My husband accidentally signed my early ballot envelope by mistake but we haven’t mailed them in, I was planning on dropping them off today. What should we do?
First of all, you can call (602) 506-1511. I think they are pretty well staffed. Yesterday when I called I only waited one minute. My guess, however, would be to just go tour your assigned polling place because your ballot was spoiled. They should be able to determine that you have not yet voted. You will be given a provisional ballot, and after the election is over, and they have verified that you did not vote twice, your provisional ballot will count. After the election is over, you can check on the ballot status here: http://recorder.maricopa.gov/pbstatus/pbstatus.aspx