How to Cure Your Ballots (Updated)

We previously wrote about many ballots getting rejected due to mistakes. Depending on your state’s election law and process, you may not hear from clerks if your ballot got rejected. We encourage everyone to check the status of the ballot. If your ballot got rejected, you may have a chance to ‘cure’ your ballot and ensure that your ballot gets processed and counted. Process of “curing” your ballot depends on the state you live in. Methods to fix your ballot vary. It may involve signing an affidavit confirming your ballot, correcting your signature, or voting on a replacement ballot.

(1) Check your state's ballot tracking website. Find yours here: https://tinyurl.com/track-mail-ballot
(2) If it's rejected, see what options you have to fix it (some problems can even be fixed over the phone!).
(3) Fix it immediately.

If your ballot got rejected, you may have a chance to ‘cure’ your ballot and ensure that your ballot gets processed and counted. Process of “curing” your ballot depends on the state you live in. Methods to fix your ballot vary. It may involve signing an affidavit confirming your ballot, correcting your signature, or voting on a replacement ballot.

Many civic and political groups use publicly available databases to identify and contact voters when there are problems with their ballots. We listed resources for voters for some states below. For additional resources, we encourage you to visit “Cure period for absentee and mail-in ballot” , “States That Permit Voters to Correct Signature Discrepancies” and your state and local county’s election websites.

North Carolina +

1. Track your ballot: https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/
2. If there's an issue with the ballot, county boards are expected to contact any voter with an absentee ballot deficiency in writing within one business day to inform the voter of the deficiency and how to correct it.
3. If a voter returns a ballot with a deficiency other than a missing witness signature, the county board will send the voter a certification to sign and return to ensure the ballot is counted. Such deficiencies include envelopes not signed by the voter or signed by the voter in the wrong place, as well as envelopes missing the printed name or address of the witness. Any “Absentee Cure Certification” must be received by the voter’s county board of elections no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, November 12.
4. Contact your county board of elections: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/

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Nevada +

1. Track your ballot: https://nevada.ballottrax.net/voter/
2. Per Ballotpedia website, Nevada law says, "Voters have until the seventh day after the election to resolve the issue."
3. If the signature on the ballot-return envelope is missing, or doesn’t match what’s currently on file, officials will contact the voter with a letter sent in the mail. They will also try to reach the voter through automated communication to the email or phone number on file. The recorded phone message says, “This is the Clark County Election Department; this is not a solicitation. We have received your voted mail ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Unfortunately, either you did not sign the return envelope, or we were unable to verify your signature with what’s on file. Please follow the instructions provided in the mail to cure your ballot so we can process it to be counted. If you have any questions, call (702) 455-6551, Monday-Thursday, 7:30am-5:30pm.”

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Wisconsin +

1. Track your ballot: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/TrackMyBallot
2. Many states have laws requiring clerks to alert voters if their ballot is rejected in the general election. Wisconsin is not one of these. Still, clerks are encouraged to follow the practice.
3. Contact your local clerk if f you need to fix an issue with your ballot at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-US/MyMunicipalClerk

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Michigan +

1. Track your ballot: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index
2. Under a new law, clerks are required to notify voters within two days if the ballot has a signature issue and is received before 8 p.m. on Nov. 2, the day before the election. The issue must be resolved within 48 hours. Previously, clerks were encouraged but not required to alert voters to signature problems.
3. Find your clerk: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Clerk

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Arizona +

1. Track your ballot: https://my.arizona.vote/AbsenteeTracker.aspx
2. Per Ballotpedia, Arizona law says, "Voters have until the fifth business day after an election to correct a signature."
3. Contact your county election officials: https://azsos.gov/county-election-info.
4. Voter assistance hotlines:

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Georgia +

1. Track your ballot: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index
2. Per Ballotpedia, Georgia law says, "The voter then has until 3 days after the election to submit voter ID in conjunction with an affidavit confirming the ballot was in fact theirs in order to cure the ballot.
3. Voters can send a copy of the documents to your county registrar by email, fax or in person.
4. Contact your county registrar: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do
5. If you think you need to use one of these forms to cure your Vote by Mail ballot, please call the Voter Protection Hotline for guidance: 888-730-5816.

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Make sure that your ballot gets counted. It’s your vote, your voice!