My Elderly Mom's Ballot was Rejected

[Mr. Mustard 2023]

in North Carolina. Sadly, she's dying of old age at 88 and moved from Florida to North Carolina about 1.5 years ago so my niece can care for her (which she is doing well).

My mother's main wish is to live long enough to vote for Kamala and against Deadbeat Donald. She is still alive and mailed her ballot about two weeks ago.

The ballot was returned via mail, saying there is an "error" with her ballot, but did not explain the error. The mailer said the "error explanation" will be mailed to her soon.

My mother is still lucid, and also my niece assisted her when filling out the ballot, so they're both sure the ballot was cast correctly.

If she gets the explanation, and if it gets to her in time to correct the "error" remains to be seen.

I suspect they'll say it has something to do with proving herself, because she moved. We simply don't know until her "error explanation" arrives, and then see if it's bullshit designed to confuse and discourage or prevent a Democratic Party member's vote.

Sigh.

HarrisWalz2024

[unc70]

1. Which county?

[lizardkingjr]

2. If the explanation never comes

then she needs to vote in-person instead.

[TwilightZone]

3. The reason might be available on NC's voter info site.

Worth checking.

Here's the link: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/

[JohnSJ]

4. Contact the register of voters to find out why

[MLAA]

14. My trainer's ballot didn't arrive in the mail but his wife's did.

On the county recorder’s website we found the number to call for ballot questions (I searched ‘Pima County Recorder Ballot’ on google). After only a 3 minute wait a very helpful person came on line and told him the problem and how to resolve it. 🙂. I would think your Mom’s county would have similar resource. I wouldn’t wait on the mail, good luck and Go Dem Mom!

[JohnSJ]

15. Excellent suggestion, especially not wanting for snail mail.

[enough]

5. In my County in PA, you can call the County Voter Services office directly

with problems like this. They’re very responsive. Is there someplace like this that you could call in your area?

[FarPoint]

6. Makes some phone calls...

Board of Election in your county, County Democratic Party HQ and League of Women's Voters for support and direction....

Remember...women had to fight to even get the right to vote....so, sure, you guys can resolve this...(((HUG)))

[hlthe2b]

7. Why do you not contact the county registrar directly? Maybe it is different there, but I was able to email

my county clerk & recorder via her email posted to the site (of course she had a staffer respond, but it was quick). There are multiple phone numbers there too on the site.

You CAN NOT simply wait for a response. Be proactive. Please!

[bdamomma]

8. Can't you call

your local canvassers or election board department.

There are some good comments on this thread to help you with this problem. Yes be proactive, call them.

[Coexist]

9. if she can, curbside voting is an option - you pull up and they come to you in the car to help you

[Runningdawg]

10. When she moved did she change her voter registration/address?

I have a friend that works at the Tulsa Co election board and she said voter ID not matching address or lack of signature is the reason most ballots are rejected here.

[FakeNoose]

11. It could be that her signature on the ballot looks different from the one on file

This tends to happen with senior citizens who are no longer signing their name the same way they did in their younger years. It's an unfortunate fact of life, senior hands are shakier, eyesight and coordination aren't as good, etc.

The way it can be handled - at least the way we do it in Pennsylvania - is that someone in the family or a trusted person such as a nurse - can sign the ballot for the voter and signify that it really is the person's TRUE vote. I don't know whether North Carolina offers the same work-around.

Yes there is some possibility for abuse when a senior citizen (or handicapped person) can no longer sign the ballot for themselves. However the older voters are still legally entitled to vote. It would be an even bigger abuse to deny them their voting privilege.

Jimmy Carter's ballot was accepted in Georgia, even though he's 100 years old.

[Fla Dem]

12. You never mention in your post if your Mom re-registered when she moved from Fla to NC.

If she didn't, that may be the problem.

[cadoman]

13. please call them and let us know how it goes

https://votebymail.ncsbe.gov/app/contact

If there is an issue here we need to alert government & party officials before it affects more voters.

[Hope22]

16. Our BOE is very accommodating and wants each vote to be cast.

I’m not sure how difficult it is to get your mom in the car but if she can do that take her to the Board of Elections of the county she lives in. They should be able to come out to the car and discuss the issues. Take her ID, mail that is addressed to her such as a bank statement and any other identification she may have. I hope she can get this worked out. I would forgo waiting on the mail because who knows how long or if that explanation will arrive. In Ohio if there is a ballot issue they will call or email to get corrections made. I hope this gets worked out!

[cubbie]

17. In NC, if they sent her an absentee ballot, who voter registration is fine.

The problem is probably with the signatures on the back of the envelope or something to do with her Photo ID copy. If she doesn't have an Photo ID, then she has to complete the Photo ID Exception Form and put that if the plastic sleeve on the back. In completing the Photo ID exception form, you check at least one reason. If you check the first reason, you had to include her Drivers license number of the last 4 # of her social security #. On my sister's ballot she just checked the one box for "lost photo ID" and it was accepted.
If I was you, I would take the returned ballot to the county Board of Election office to ask them what the problem was. You can do this because you are a "near relative". Or call them to ask what the problem was and the quickest way to "Cure" it.

Hope this helps. I have worked with NC absentee ballots for many years.

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. I haven't mailed my ballot yet. I've been voting absentee since Clinton's second term, and have never had to provide...

photo ID. The only real hoop was there had to be two people to witness my signature, which really isn't a problem. I need to get it in the mail, but my two witnesses are in MI for the funeral of his father. I'm not sure how long they'll be there tying up loose ends. I wondered if I contacted my county Dem office, if they maybe had volunteers who could witness my signature and drop off my ballot. I hope your Mom gets an explanation soon cuz she & I are cutting it pretty close. ,,,,