Action | Material omissions from absentee ballots. |
Stage | Final |
Comment Period | Ended on 10/12/2011 |
I am appalled at the picayune reasons being proposed for invalidating absentee ballots. For example, my husband's name is "L. Bruce van Voorst." His mother gave him a first name that he hates and never uses but he has used L. Bruce professionally for his entire career. It is L Bruce on his passport and Social Security and Medicare documents. Are you telling me his application (were he to submit one) would be declared invalid if he did not use his full first name? He also has a terrible handwriting. Would some bureaucrat decide he/she couldn't read his signature and invalidate his ballot?. I also have an elderly neighbor who is disabled and will be submitting an absentee ballot. Her handwriting is shaky but her mind is clear and she knows whom she is voting for. Would her ballot be declared invalid because of her handwriting? What if a person abbreviates Virginia as VA in their address? Or uses St. or Ave. for Street or Avenue? Would that be declared invalid? These regulations need to be removed. They are arbitrary; do nothing to improve the electoral process; and deny legitimate voters their constitutional right to vote.