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Senate Government Operations hears plan to change how write-in votes are counted, proposes limited ballot-opening process
Summary
Secretary of State staff proposed a procedure to ensure write-in votes that could change an apparent result are counted, including a permission process to open ballot bags with observers when total write-ins meet or exceed the apparent winner's total.
On May 15, the Senate Government Operations Committee heard a proposal from the secretary of state's office to change how write-in votes are handled when they may affect an apparent winner.
The proposal, outlined by Lauren Hibbert, deputy secretary of state, and Sean Sheehan, elections director with the secretary of state's office, would allow local officials to count write-in ballots in a case where the total number of write-in votes meets or exceeds the total votes for the apparent top vote-getter — even if the write-in candidates did not meet earlier filing deadlines. The change would include a permission process from the secretary of state's office and require observers when ballot containers are opened.
"We are here because we heard the feedback on the write in provisions and, really thought through how can we make this, a, clear, and b, better," Lauren Hibbert said, describing work the office did to…
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