Provisional Ballot Verification Procedure

PURPOSE: This rule describes Missouri’s procedure for provisional voters to discern whether or not their provisional ballot was counted, as mandated by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. (1) Provisional ballot envelopes, provided by the secretary of state’s office, will have a tear away section containing a unique identification number and a toll free phone number. (2) Individuals who cast provisional ballots may, after the election results have been certified, call the toll free phone number provided to them on the tear away section of their provisional ballot envelope. In compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, this toll free phone number will be maintained and operated by the secretary of state’s office. Only individuals who have cast provisional ballots are permitted to use this service to verify the status of their own provisional ballot. (3) Upon receiving calls from provisional voters on the toll free provisional ballot inquiry line, the secretary of state’s office shall transfer the call to the appropriate local election authority. (4) The local election authority shall, using the provisional voter’s unique provisional voting identification number from the tear away section of the provisional ballot envelope, inform the voter of whether or not their provisional ballot was counted or rejected. (5) If the provisional voter’s ballot was rejected the local election authority shall inform the provisional voter that their rejected provisional ballot envelope shall be used to register them to vote. AUTHORITY: section 115.430, RSMo Supp. 2003.* Original rule filed Sept. 19, 2003, effective May 30, 2004. *Original authority: 115.430, RSMo 2002, amended 2003.