Opinion ID: 1436318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Alleged Improper Mark to Indicate Vote

Text: There are two ballots that fall within this category where we differ with the conclusion reached by the court below. The first ballot, identified in the court below as Exhibit B-Walko, Economy Borough, First District, was not counted by the Recount Board for Walko. That decision was sustained by the court below. Here the voter did comply with the direction that he use either a checkmark or a cross. In this instance, a checkmark was used. The alleged complaint arises from what we believe is an irregularity in the formation of the checkmark which was made to signify the vote for candidate Walko. The Recount Board concluded that, there were three checkmarks in the office block, although a voter was required to vote only for two candidates. An inspection of the ballot shows that this voter in several instances retraced the checkmarks and in some instances the retraced lines did not coincide with the original checkmark. After careful inspection we are satisfied that this was not an attempt to cast votes for each of the three candidates but rather only an attempt to emphasize his mark as was done in several other places on the ballot. Under the expressed provisions of this section an irregularity in the formation of the check will not provide a basis for invalidating the vote. The other ballot in this category was identified below as Exhibit A-Walko, Beaver Falls, First Ward. There the only mark on the ballot is the word yes in the party column in the space provided for those who wish to cast a straight party vote for the Democratic candidates. In Reading Election Recount Case, supra , we held that the word yes appearing on a ballot did not render it so unique as to demonstrate a willful intention to make the ballot capable of identification. While that case differs from the instant situation, in that there was also an appropriate mark in the designated block and the word yes was treated as surplusage, we do not believe that that difference is material. Just as the proscription against adding unauthorized marks is to preserve the anonymity of the voter, so too is the requirement that a specific type mark be employed to express the voter's intent. To allow additional markings where there is also an appropriate mark and yet not to permit the same additional marking where the intention of the voter is clear by the use of that marking would present an anomaly which would escape rational explanation. Thus, in these two instances we conclude the vote should have been permitted to count for candidate Walko.