With the presidential election less than a month away on Tuesday, Nov. 5, some voters want to make sure they don’t make any errors while filling out their ballot, like using the wrong kind of marker or pen.
Several people on social media have warned against using Sharpie-brand markers or pens on ballots, claiming they could bleed through the ballot and invalidate a person’s vote.
Some people have even claimed that the markers are a sign of election fraud, suggesting voters are told to use Sharpies at polling places which will then invalidate their ballots.
These warnings have led some people online to ask whether they can use a Sharpie to fill out their ballot.
THE QUESTION
Can you use a Sharpie to fill out your ballot?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, you can use a Sharpie to fill out your ballot in some states. Many voting machine manufacturers recommend them over ink pens because they dry quickly and the machines read their ink better.
WHAT WE FOUND
Several states and counties say you can use a Sharpie marker or pen to mark your ballot.
The claims about Sharpies as a sign of election fraud are unfounded. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich launched an investigation into the use of Sharpies during the 2020 election, but ultimately found that it “did not result in disenfranchisement for Arizona voters.”
Many voting machine manufacturers, including Dominion Voting Systems, also recommend Sharpies over standard ink pens because they dry quickly and the machines can read their ink better, election officials say.
“Using a Sharpie permanent marker to mark a ballot will not invalidate or cancel a ballot or vote,” the Michigan Department of State says.
During the 2022 midterm elections, the Illinois State Board of Elections also shared a graphic on social media that said, “Sharpies are the preferred ballot marking method for many voting systems. There is no need to be concerned about the use of Sharpies in the polling place. They have been tested and approved to be used on these devices.”
Elections officials in California’s Santa Clara and San Bernardino counties and Montgomery County in Pennsylvania say voters can use Sharpies on their ballots.
The Michigan Department of State also addressed claims about Sharpies bleeding through ballots. The agency said ballots are designed so any bleedthrough does not touch or come near a voting area of the other side of the ballot.
“It will not alter or cancel any vote on the opposite side,” the Michigan Department of State says.
If a ballot does have issues that impact its ability to be scanned, it can be hand counted, duplicated or reviewed by election officials, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Many states also have laws in place that allow ballots with bleedthrough or stray marks to be counted, as long as election officials can still determine the voter’s intent.
No state or county requires that voters use Sharpies to fill out ballots, and people who have concerns can request a regular pen. For example, Santa Clara and San Bernardino counties say on their websites that you may also use a pen with blue or black ink to mark your ballot instead of a Sharpie.
Though many counties and states recommend using Sharpie pens on ballots, some states do have specific rules that advise against the practice. For example, a county in New Hampshire says voters should use a standard pen or number 2 pencil, and not any type of marker or a Sharpie, to fill out absentee ballots.
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