Question about mail in vote counting

[Siwsan]

Are votes fed into a secured server contemporary with their receipt, or does that start happening at poll closing time? It seems that since when I vote in person, my vote gets 'scanned' and joins the tabulation queue just as soon as I submit it, that process would make sense for mail in and 'early voting' ballots, too.

I've never done mail in voting. Tomorrow I'm going to my polling place, but I'm requesting a ballot for November's election and will be sending it in as early as possible.

[bearsfootball516]

1. I think it depends on your state.

In Elkhart County Indiana, where I live, mail-in ballots are stored in these massive gray bins. Once the polls open on election day, the bins are wheeled out and poll workers who are specifically designated that day for mail-in ballots just start opening the envelopes and putting them into the vote scanner, and they do that from poll open to poll close. It's a long, repetitive job.

[Siwsan]

3. Thanks.

It's going to be interesting to see what the turn out will be at my polling place, tomorrow. I'm heading there at about 9.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. We don't do it that way because you could come in and vote in person, which would...

have priority.

Some times we count the votes at the polling place, other times they are counted at BoE HQ.

Note that with scannable ballots, there is always the possibility that you could send in an unreadable ballot. I don't know overall percentages, but in-person voting tends to have a fairly high percentage of erroneous ballots.

[Siwsan]

4. One of the things I wondered about was a whonky ballot

The last time I voted, I didn't QUITE fill in the circle, to the scanner's satisfaction. So I was able to take care of the issue. I suggested that maybe they should supply 'Sharpies' instead of ball point ink pens or pencils and I was told I'm not the first to suggest that.

So, if your mail in is unscannable, a contemporary processing would give them time to contact you so you can fix the problem.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. But, they don't know whose ballot it is. We do suggest people use sharpies, not pens...

and if they show up in person, they get up to three ballots, no more.

For two weeks we have early balloting set up in reasonably convenient areas so people have plenty of time to show up in person.

Perfect? No. But doable it is.

[Siwsan]

6. No in person early voting in Michigan and this is the first year everyone can absentee vote

I'm going to request my ballot for November, right after I vote, tomorrow. And I'm bypassing the Post Office by dropping it off at the township clerk's office.

I now kind of regret over-thinking and second guessing the option of ordering a ballot for this primary but I suspect it will be my last 'in person' voting experience.