How to Vote a Paper Ballot

Ballot Marking Instructions
  • Please use a black ink ballpoint pen to mark your ballot. Marks using a felt-tip pen tend to bleed through the paper ballot.

     
  • To vote for a person, darken the oval to the left of the name of the candidate.

     
  • A write-in vote is allowed if a blank line is provided under the specific office. Print or write the name of your write-in choice clearly and darken the oval to the left of the write-in name.

     
  • To vote in favor of any question submitted upon the ballot, darken the oval to the left of the word "YES."

     
  • To vote against a question, darken the oval to the left of the word "NO."

     
  • Do not make any other marks on the ballot.

     
  • If you tear, deface, or wrongly mark the ballot, you may return it to the Election Office and receive a new one.

     
  • Place the voted ballot in the return envelope and seal securely.

     
  • Sign your specific return envelope that was provided with the ballot. For your ballot to be counted, by law, your signature and residence address must be on your return envelope.

     
  • Your completed ballot can be returned by mail or hand-delivered to the Election Office. If after hours, use the drive-thru drop box.

     
  • For mail ballots with the August primary and November general elections:
    • If returning in person: the ballot must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day to any polling place or drop box within the county, or to the county election office.

       
    • If returning by mail: the ballot must be postmarked by 7:00pm on Election Day, and received by USPS up to three days after election day to be eligible to be counted.

       
  • For mail ballots with special elections:
    • If returning in person: the ballot must be returned by 12:00 Noon on Election Day.

       
    • If returning by mail: the ballot must be returned by 12:00 Noon on Election Day to be eligible to be counted.

       
  • Ballots may not be faxed.