Author: Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director
Minimum Number of Ballots
Previously, a rule 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. The rule expired in 2017, and therefore guidance is being provided regarding the minimum number of ballots that county boards of elections are required to order for the 2020 general election. This guidance is in line with:
- Numbered Memo 2018-10, which provided the minimum number of ballots to be ordered for the 2018 midterm general election, and
- Numbered Memo 2020-02, which provided the minimum number of ballots to be ordered for the 2020 primary election.
In the 2020 general election, we may see some of the highest turnout in recent years. Additionally, we must always ensure that voting sites have a sufficient supply of pre-printed ballots in the event of power failures or other disruptions. For 2020 general election, county boards of elections are required to procure a supply of paper ballots as follows:
- For counties that use pre-printed paper ballots as their primary method of voting, order ballots at least equal to 100 percent of the number of registered voters in the county, as calculated when ballots are ordered before the election;
- For counties that use ballot-marking devices (BMD)and blank stock as their primary method of voting, prepare pre-printed paper ballots at least equal to 50 percent of the number of registered voters in the county, as calculated when ballots are ordered before the election. Blank stock should be on hand equal to 120 percent of registered voters;
These are minimum quantities. Counties should increase their ballot order and/or blank stock order above 100 percent to address situations, including where a voter requests an absentee by mail ballot but then choses to vote in-person, which creates a larger ballot quantity need; time constraints in ballots distribution that do not allow ballots at one-stop early voting sites to be relocated to Election Day voting sites; or other circumstances cause a voting site to not have a sufficient supply of ballots or ballot stock.
Distribution of ballots or ballot stock for BMDs or ballot on demand printers to one-stop sites should be based on the percentage of votes cast during the one-stop period in the 2016 presidential general election. County boards should review voter registration numbers for each ballot style and previous turnout data in making determinations regarding the number of ballots of each ballot style to order and distribute among voting locations. County boards should monitor absentee by mail requests, same-day registrations and turnout during one-stop, and order additional ballots as needed. If you find that your ballot or ballot stock supply is running low, contact your printing vendor and the SBE voting systems division immediately to make arrangements for additional ballots to be printed or make arrangements for additional ballot stock.
Reminder About Blank or Undervoted Ballots
As a reminder, please review Ballot Preparation Instructions: Numbered Memo 2020-02 regarding the directive that county boards ensure that their tabulators are coded to accept blank ballots without notifying the voter of an error as it does with any other ballot that is not overvoted.