Our goal is for zero absentee ballots to be rejected at the polls.

Absentee ballots are rejected for the following reasons:

• Voter has not signed absentee certificate envelope.
• Voter has not had a witness sign the absentee certificate envelope.
• Witness did not write address on absentee certificate envelope (street number, street name, municipality).
• Ballot has not been received by Election Day.
• Voter has not registered to vote at their current address.
• Voter has not sealed the absentee certificate envelope.
• Voter dies before Election Day.

The City Clerk’s Office strongly encourages absentee voters to take the following precautions:

• Either vote absentee in the Clerk’s Office, or carefully read the instruction letter that you receive with your absentee ballot.
• Mail your absentee ballot back to the Clerk’s Office as early as possible. The ballot must be received by the Clerk's Office early enough to deliver to your polling place on Election Day.
• Make sure you sign the certificate envelope on the line marked “Signature of Voter.”
• Have your witness sign the certificate envelope on the line marked “Signature of Witness.”
• Have your witness write his or her address underneath the witness signature (street number, street name, municipality, state, zip code).
• Make sure the envelope is sealed.
• If you have moved, register to vote at your new address. Crossing out the address on your absentee label and writing in your new address does not update your voter registration