Elections officials don't expect provisional ballot problems
The Miami Herald. JR Ross, Associated Press; 29 October 2004

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin is not expected to have the problems with the new provisional ballots that other states have experienced because voters will only receive them in very few cases, the state's top elections official said Friday.

Provisional ballots are required nationally for the first time this year. They are supposed to prevent what happened in the 2000 election, when an estimated 1.5 million registered voters were mistakenly turned away from the polls because of clerical errors or other problems.

In other states, those not on voter registration lists when they show up at the polls are given provisional ballots that officials hold until they determine if the person was entitled to vote. If they should have been allowed to vote, the ballot counts; if not, it's thrown out.

Several states have ended up in court over how they planned to handle provisional ballots in a dispute over whether states should count provisional ballots even if voters show up at the wrong polls.

But that has not been an issue in Wisconsin. State Elections Board executive director Kevin Kennedy said voters will only be allowed to cast provisional ballots if they show up at the correct polling place.

The state also avoids the problems other states have experienced because it has same-day registration. That means anyone not on the voter registration lists at their polling sights can simply produce the required identification and register before casting a ballot.

In some other states, voters have to be on the registration lists before election day to cast a ballot.

In Wisconsin, those who register to vote by mail have to produce the required identification at the poll before they can cast their ballots. Kennedy said the only Wisconsin voters who will get provisional ballots are those who register by mail but show up to vote without the proper identification. They will have until 4 p.m. Wednesday to prove to city election officials they are who they say they are. Their ballots will not be counted until they do.

Seth Boffeli, spokesman for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, said the party isn't concerned about problems with the ballots.

But Chris Lato, spokesman for the state GOP, said Republicans had asked the Elections Board to write new rules to make clear how the ballots should be handled. The board declined.

Kennedy said state elections officials have conducted several training seminars with municipal clerks to make sure they understand how to handle the ballots and are confident there won't be any confusion.

"There is a certain level of concern with the provisional ballots," Lato said. "We just want to make sure it's done in a uniform manner and a secure manner."