ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A social media post circulating online claims poll workers can mark a voter’s ballot in a way that causes the ballot to be disqualified, but the Rowan County Clerk’s Office says the claim is false.
Matt Richardson, who has worked Kentucky elections since 2020, said the claim does not reflect what poll workers do.
“When I first read that post, I’m thinking no poll worker is going to have a pen near a ballot,” Richardson said.
Rowan County Clerk Elwood Caudill Jr. said false information about the voting process can create doubt among voters and undermine trust in local elections.
“Our integrity is there that we put 100 percent of what we do,” Caudill said.
Caudill said safeguards are in place to catch problems with ballots before they are accepted. If the machine detects certain marks on a ballot, it will return the ballot before the vote is cast.
“If that ballot has a mark on it outside the boxes or in the boxes, it will kick it out,” Caudill said.
If the machine returns a ballot, that doesn't mean the voter has lost the opportunity to vote.
Richardson said poll workers will work with voters when a ballot doesn't go through the machine.
“We will go well and beyond when someone can’t have a ballot go through,” Richardson said. “We tell them, if this comes up, come tell us, we will spoil it, and get you a new one.”
Caudill encouraged voters who have questions or encounter a problem with their ballot to ask a poll worker at their voting location before casting their vote.
Alex Barber is committed to covering stories in your community that matter to you. If you have an idea, reach out to him at alex.barber@wlex.tv
