Author: Kim Strach, Executive Director
Previously, regulations required county boards of elections to prepare ballots in a number equal to 100 percent of the number of registered voters in the primary or election. Last year, these regulations expired, and accordingly the following instructions are provided for county boards of election to ensure that a sufficient number of ballots to be prepared in advance of municipal elections.
We are all aware of election security concerns and the need to be prepared. We must have a sufficient supply of ballots in the event we need to implement emergency procedures. Therefore, for the 2018 midterm general election, county boards of elections that use exclusively paper ballots are required to prepare ballots in a number at least equal to 100 percent of the number of registered voters in the county immediately prior to the election.
Counties that use direct record electronic (DRE) voting systems are required to prepare ballots in a number at least equal to 75 percent of the number of registered voters, but may request to reduce their required number of ballots proportionately based, in part, on the number of projected DRE ballots cast for previous midterm elections. Likewise, if other reasons exist that would justify a reduction in ballot production, a county board may request permission to reduce the number of ballots required. Any such requests should include the justification for the reduction and any relevant data from past similar elections.
County boards should exercise sound judgment when determining the number of ballot styles to prepare and the distribution of ballots by ballot styles among voting locations. It is important to review previous turnout data in making these determinations. The distribution of ballots to election-day precincts should take into account the turnout at one-stop locations during that election.
↓ Minimum Number of Ballots for 2018 Midterm General Election: Numbered Memo 2018-10 (PDF)