Provisional ballots are counted during the official canvass when there is time to research each individual's eligibility. In a particular precinct, the inspector may have recorded at the end of the day that 380 persons voted at the polling place of which 2 were provisional ballot voters. The computer count for that precinct as of election night will be 378, not 380. After the official canvass, the total computer count may reach 380 if our staff determines that the two provisional voters were eligible to have voted and the two ballots are then counted. A voter might claim that the party affiliation listed for him or her is incorrect, so the inspector will issue the voter a provisional ballot of the party with which the voter claims to be affiliated.
Many provisional voters are people who have moved just prior to the election.
Their provisional votes will be counted only if the voter has an active registration in the county, and provides proof of the new address. Before counting the provisional vote cast at a new polling location, the Elections Office checks the roster for the old precinct to ensure the voter did not vote there also. The Affidavit of Registration is a sworn statement regarding identify and residence. The Election Office cannot demand identification from someone when he or she registers to vote, and nearly all registrations arrive in the mail. Register in more than one state and not provide prior registration information.