by Darryl Wilkinson
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]
The race for District 1 Daviess County Commissioner – decided by just a 4-vote difference – could have been even closer! With an election outcome as close as this, every single vote is magnified including the handful of ballots set apart as “provisional” ballots when voter precincts closed.
Election officers at the Daviess County Clerk’s office had questions involving five ballots when the voting ended. Each concerned “motor voter” registrations – circumstances where a citizen either registered or attempted to register as a qualified voter to participate in the November election held here. Sorting through the details confirms that David Holcomb’s 4-vote victory over challenger David Cox will not change. It also demonstrates just how every vote cast – your vote – counts!
Local election officials say confusion exists on voter verification since the state’s Department of Revenue (where the motor voter registration paperwork is filed) closes prior to the closing of voter precincts. Thus, confirmation of voter registration on election day can not always be immediately accomplished.
When motor voter registration becomes the question in such cases, the citizen has a choice. They can complete a ballot to be submitted as a “provisional” ballot or they can choose not to fill out a ballot. Provisional ballots are held until such time that voter registration can be confirmed; if affirmed, then the ballot is included in the vote totals. If not affirmed, the ballot is disregarded.
Two citizens chose not to vote a provisional ballot when their registration could not be immediately confirmed. Another citizen’s ballot was disregarded since the Department of Revenue’s records showed that the citizen did not properly request voter registration at that time. Eventually, the two remaining provisional ballots were accepted and counted in the totals – only one actually involved in the close race between Holcomb and Cox.
Let it be repeated yet once again – your vote is important; every single vote counts!