Dare County Board of Elections approves 16 provisional ballots, denies 38 after review

The Dare County Board of Elections voted to count 16 provisional ballots and to deny 38 after a line-by-line review of 54 provisional applications submitted between early voting and Election Day. The board met to consider staff research on each provisional envelope and the applicable state guidance.

Staff member presenting the review told the board, “Dare County had 54 provisional ballots that were completed between early voting and Election Day,” and recommended 16 for approval after documentation checks. The approvals covered several categories, including five ballots where required ID details (driver’s license number or last four of Social Security) were later confirmed, one approved under an exception form for reasonable impediment, a small number of incorrect-precinct cases that nonetheless allowed the voter to cast eligible contests, and ballots restored after research showed continuous residency for previously removed registrants.

Why it matters: provisional ballots are counted only after officials verify the voter met eligibility requirements or followed the proper remedial processes. Counting or denying these ballots affects precinct crediting and final vote totals in close contests and triggers recordkeeping and public-records procedures.

Board members questioned and discussed specifics of several individual cases. Staff explained that some party-affiliation mismatches appeared to result from historical data-entry or scanned-document errors during earlier statewide data conversions; on that point staff stated the finding was based on a 2003 registration form and a 2011 scan that appeared to reflect the original party. A committee member pressed staff on the distinction between a voter’s attestation on a provisional application and the voter’s registered party in the state system; another member noted that unaffiliated voters may choose a ballot at a primary and that a provisional process can be appropriate when a voter insists on a ballot different than what the pollbook shows.

One contested case involved a voter who left Dare County temporarily and then returned within the statutory windows. After discussing domicile and residency standards, members concluded the voter had not maintained a domicile here and voted to deny that provisional ballot. On the question of whether staff should scan and tabulate approved envelopes immediately or set them aside in case some disapproved ballots were later changed to approved, the board agreed to set approved provisional envelopes aside until the disapproved stack had been reviewed to avoid having to amend earlier motions.

Formal actions taken: a board member moved to approve the 16 provisional ballots recommended by staff and the board voted in favor; later a board member moved that the 38 ballots staff determined did not qualify be denied, and the board voted in favor of that motion. The denied envelopes will be filed and not opened; the approved ballots will be scanned into the tabulator and added to the official results. Staff noted the tabulator results would be signed and uploaded per standard procedures.

Board members also discussed public-records handling of the staff spreadsheet documenting approvals: one member asked that any spreadsheet attached to the minutes redact voter names because minutes may be subject to public-records requests. Staff confirmed they would redact confidential information where required.

Next steps: staff will scan the approved provisional ballots into the tabulator, complete required sealing and signature steps, and upload results. The board also confirmed a scheduled hand-count sample audit at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and agreed to revisit whether to cancel a Thursday pre-canvas meeting after the UOCAVA mail deadline passes.

The board adjourned at approximately 4:00 p.m.