Overvoting occurs when you select more choices than you are allowed. Example – if there are 2 candidates for 1 position but you select both candidates.
Under voting occurs when you don’t select the full number of options. Example: you do not select an option or if there are 2 positions available and you only select one.
What happens to your ballot in these circumstances?
If you vote by mail:
When your ballot is run through the tabulator, the election worker will be notified of the over or undervote and the ballot will be sent to adjudication.
Adjudication is when an elections supervisor reviews the ballot to try to determine what the voter intended. If you overvoted but clearly marked an X through one of the choices and wrote your intended choice, they will correct that in the computer.
If they cannot determine your intended choice, they will invalidate that race (not the whole ballot, just the specific selection).
If you vote in person:
When you insert the ballot into the tabulator, a notification will appear showing overbite or undervote. You have 2 choices:
- Accept the ballot as is. (Undervotes will be entered as is, the entire race for an overvote will not be counted.)
- Eject the ballot and ask for a new one so you can re-do the entire ballot.
Tehama Citizens for Freedom 