Physically reproducing your ballot; has anyone ever requested this be done?

[98cwitr]

Called my county's BoE and asked them if I wanted them to, could they physically reproduce my ballot. They said that in 27 years, they've never been asked this question. I was quite surprised by this. Has anyone ever had their ballot reproduced and physically confirmed that it had not be altered or modified?

 

[trunks2k]

They should not be able to. Ballots are secret. You shouldn't be able to tie a physical ballot to a person, by design.

 

[Desk trauma]

We have secret ballots in the US. Once a ballot is cast there is no way to trace it back to the person who cast it.

 

[Speedwell]

Called my county's BoE and asked them if I wanted them to, could they physically reproduce my ballot. They said that in 27 years, they've never been asked this question. I was quite surprised by this. Has anyone ever had their ballot reproduced and physically confirmed that it had not be altered or modified?

Why would it be necessary? How would they know which one was yours anyway? And if they did why couldn't they just show you the original?

 

[Skewpoint]

They should not be able to. Ballots are secret. You shouldn't be able to tie a physical ballot to a person, by design.

We have secret ballots in the US. Once a ballot is cast there is no way to trace it back to the person who cast it.

OP has been informed of this before. Either they're not bothering to read replies, have people on ignore, or are posting this disingenuously. Why not do a modicum of research before starting this thread?

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Called my county's BoE and asked them if I wanted them to, could they physically reproduce my ballot. They said that in 27 years, they've never been asked this question. I was quite surprised by this. Has anyone ever had their ballot reproduced and physically confirmed that it had not be altered or modified?

How would they know which one is yours?

 

[SummerMadness]

Is this another thread meant to keep alive the lie that the election was stolen due to fraud?

 

[Skewpoint]

Is this another thread meant to keep alive the lie that the election was stolen due to fraud?

It's possible.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

It's possible.

Even probable.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Called my county's BoE and asked them if I wanted them to, could they physically reproduce my ballot. They said that in 27 years, they've never been asked this question. I was quite surprised by this. Has anyone ever had their ballot reproduced and physically confirmed that it had not be altered or modified?

It cannot be done, nor should they have the ability. Your vote is a private issue. No one has the right to know how you voted, except for you. To guarantee that your vote has to be cut free from you once you cast it. If we could track down individual votes the election would no longer be anonymous.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

They should not be able to. Ballots are secret. You shouldn't be able to tie a physical ballot to a person, by design.

This is the answer to this question. If your county says they can fulfill this request call your district rep and complain.

 

[WolfGate]

Agreed. If they said "yes", then I think we have the basis for a legitimate lawsuit since being able to do so clearly would no longer make it a secret ballot.

 

[CitizenD]

Called my county's BoE and asked them if I wanted them to, could they physically reproduce my ballot. They said that in 27 years, they've never been asked this question. I was quite surprised by this. Has anyone ever had their ballot reproduced and physically confirmed that it had not be altered or modified?

Your ballot isn't marked with your name.

In tech there are already key pair encryption systems in use that allow you to pseudoanonymously sign a document, and the later to verify the contents of that document.

However these systems cannot guarantee that one and only one person holds the key that you do.

Potentially that doesn't matter so long as you can check later and validate, which you could with such a system.

 

[Speedwell]

As long as the number of verified signatures equals the number of physical ballots, the system is secure from the kind of fraud the Trump administration is alleging, the running in of thousands of fake ballots between verification and counting of votes.

 

[98cwitr]

They should not be able to. Ballots are secret. You shouldn't be able to tie a physical ballot to a person, by design.

But my ballot has my name on it

 

[trunks2k]

But my ballot has my name on it

I am pretty sure the actual physical ballot does not have your name on it unless you are a candidate listed on the ballot or you wrote it on it yourself (which could spoil your ballot depending on your local election law). Ballots in the US are secret. There should be no way to tie a ballot to you. The outer envelope may if you voted absentee or whatever, but not the ballot itself. In all US states, ballots are secret either by state constitution or statute.

 

[Petros2015]

How would they know which one is yours?

I use crayon - "Jazzberry Jam". It's pretty distinctive and narrows things down a bit.

https://www.crayola.com/explore-colors.aspx

 

[RocksInMyHead]

But my ballot has my name on it

I'm not aware of any states that include a place to write your name on your ballot. The envelope, yes, but not the ballot itself.

 

[98cwitr]

I am pretty sure the actual physical ballot does not have your name on it unless you are a candidate listed on the ballot or you wrote it on it yourself (which could spoil your ballot depending on your local election law). Ballots in the US are secret. There should be no way to tie a ballot to you. The outer envelope may if you voted absentee or whatever, but not the ballot itself.

There will be a poll book or roster indicating the voters name along with the unique identifier number. After all ballots to be considered in that meeting have been approved, the ballots will be opened and placed in the tabulator.

https://www.moorecountync.gov/images/latest_news/Board_of_Elections_Newsletter.pdf

 

[98cwitr]

I'm not aware of any states that include a place to write your name on your ballot. The envelope, yes, but not the ballot itself.

As I recall (I voted early and in person), they printed my ballot right then and there. Had my name at the top left of it.