1. Provisional Operations and Procedures (Election Day)
Trainer:
“Welcome back, for those who are returning, and to our new election judges for the Presidential Election.”
My name is ________________________________and this is _______________________. We will be conducting your Provisional Judge training session today.
At this time I would also like to introduce you to our Director Kevin Keene and Deputy Director Dale Livingston who would like to say a few words.”
Has everyone signed in and received your class materials?” You should have copies of the PowerPoint hand out, opening, during and closing certificates, blank and printed VAC slips, Provisional application, important dates.
Has everyone turned in your W-4 and 507 forms? If not, you can fill them out after class
4. Now for some housekeeping chores:
- Please note the location of restrooms
- There will be one scheduled 5 min. break at ____________(time). But please feel free to get up to use the restroom if needed.
- The Election Judge’s manual is available online at our website at Please contact Maggie/Sarah if you do not have
access to the web.
(If question arises about why it’s online, it’s cheaper)
We’d like to bring your attention to some important dates for this Election Cycle – (Go through the important election dates on the poster)
We want you to be aware of the precinct location and number where you will be working, because it may not be your home precinct. You’ll receive your polling place assignment from Maggie/Sarah in March.
7. For those who are returning Provisional Judges please bear with us if some of this material is familiar to you, because some of the class are new judges who are hearing this information for the first time. And it never hurts to get refreshed on information you only deal with every two years.
So before we begin, let us give you a brief overview of Maryland’s New Voting System.
- Maryland is going to a Paper System
- In 2007 Legislature voted for a Paper Trail, in 2014 the State funded the new system, 2015 implementation
- BMD – Ballot Marking Device to mark a Ballot Activation Card. There will be 1 or 2 of these machines at each early voting site for
Accessibility and/or any voter who requests it.
- Most voters will receive a paper ballot (Show a paper ballot), to manually mark at a voting booth
- However, the Provisional Process won’t change as a result of the new system.
- Both Ballot Activation Cards and paper ballots will go into the Provisional Ballot Envelope.
- Standard Ballot voters will take their ballots to the Scanning Unit – Provisional voters will cast their ballot in the Ballot Transfer Bag
PROVISIONAL VOTERS WILL NOT GO TO THE BALLOT SCANNING DEVICE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT.
So now let’s get started with your training.

2. Responsibilities
Verify you have received all your supplies and materials
Verify that you have received the correct ballot styles
Assist each Provisional voter with courtesy and give them the information they need to understand why they are voting provisionally
Oversee the care and custody of the provisional ballots
Accurately complete provisional paperwork
There are five main duties and responsibilities of a provisional judge:
Insure that you have received all the materials on your checklist and notify a Chief Judge if anything is missing
Verify that you have received the correct ballot styles for your precinct, as shown on your Opening Certificate, notify the office immediately if you didn’t.
Be courteous and give the voter the information they need to understand why they are voting provisionally. Every Provisional Ballot Application is reviewed at the Election Office and if the voter wants to find out if their ballot was accepted, they can call the number or go on the website that is indicated on the Provisional Ballot Envelope Instruction sheet.
Oversee the care and custody of the provisional ballots – voted and unvoted. NEVER leave your area unattended. If you need to take a break let your Chief Judge know.
Please keep your paperwork neat, complete and organized.

3. Provisional Judge Supply List
Voting booth
Navy blue Provisional Judge folder with list of contents
One sealed orange provisional bag that includes:
Pens
Orange Provisional Ballot Transfer Bag
Provisional ballots
Blank voter authority cards
Outer Seals
This is how we would like to see a provisional table set up. SHOW TABLE
The night before the election, most precincts set up everything they can so that the morning set up is easier and the precinct can open promptly at 7:00 AM.
Provisional Judges can set up the following items in their area the night before: the Voting Booth, and your table and chairs (one for you and a few for the voters). Make sure your booth is easily accessible. No seals should be broken at this time.
When you arrive in the morning, you will find your orange Provisional Supply Bag, which you will open and take inventory of all your supplies
You will find a list of what you should have in your Provisional Judge folder.
Open the folder and go through its contents.
(Trainer- point out each item at show and tell table as you go through the list)
Once you are set up and have verified your supplies, you should then complete your Opening Certificate.
Alert your Chief Judge immediately if any of your supplies are missing.

4. Provisional Ballot Accounting Certificate (Opening)
In the morning:
Verify Security Seal # on the Ballot Transfer Bag.
Verify all Ballot Styles and quantity are correct in opening section
Initial in the correct column X X X
Once you have checked all your supplies and have set up your table, you will then complete the opening section of the Provisional Ballot Accounting Certificate. The information in the certificate that needs to be verified is entered by the Election Office prior to Election Day including:
The Outer Security Seal number on the orange Provisional Ballot Transfer Bag (Break the seal, place it in the Broken Seal Envelope, and unzip the bag after verification). This is the bag that the voters will put their voted Provisional ballots in.
NOTE: ALL broken seals for all equipment will go in this bag – Removed Tamper Tape will be applied to the back of the Bag.
The amount of ballots for each ballot style inside your white Provisional Ballot Envelope. If ballot styles don’t coincide, contact the office immediately.
Initial in the second column after verifying that you’ve received all of the necessary ballots. Place back into your Provisional Judge folder. You will need to complete the closing section of this form at the end of Election Night.
You don’t need to verify anything relevant to the Activation Cards at the start of the morning

5. So, what will you do when a voter comes to your table?
BMD
So, what will you do when a voter comes to your table?
Ask the voter for the VAC slip they received at check-in. This document has all the information you will need to process this provisional voter.
If the voter cannot be found in the EPollbook , you will issue them a handwritten VAC. You will record the voter’s name, DOB, and party affiliation. You will then hand the VAC to the voter for verification and have them sign it. To determine the Ballot Style, you will refer to your Street File and look up their address. This will tell you their BS #. You will then record the BS you issued on the right side of the VAC and write your initials.
Give the voter a Provisional Ballot Application Envelope and ask them to complete out the form and sign it at the bottom.
In the meantime, take the VAC slip and complete the Provisional Judge Log. This is a very important report, as it is used to audit the provisional voting for each precinct.
- You will note the time of day
- Record the voter’s name and, if necessary, add any comment related to their scenario.
NOTE FOR TRAINERS: One comment might include a voter who is registered as a Democrat in the EPollbook, but insists on voting Republican because they said they changed their party with the election office. Remind the voter, if this is the Primary Election, that they must vote the ballot style that the EPollbook indicates unless it is found there was an administrative error. If there was an error on the part of the election office, their ballot will be accepted, otherwise alert them that voting the wrong ballot style will result in the rejection of their ballot at canvass.
- Record the voters’ voter registration number
- Record reason code found at the top of the VAC slip that indicates why this is a provisional voter.
Handwritten VACS will always be a Reason Code: 1
- Record the ballot style number you gave the voter.
- If this is the Primary Election – record their party affiliation
When you get to the bottom of each page – sign the log.

6. Voter’s Provisional Application
Ensure application is complete and signed
Issue voter the correct BS
Guide them to voting booth and point out the “How To Vote” instructions on the ballot
Instruct them to insert their voted ballot into the application’s envelope
Have the voter insert envelope into the orange Provisional Ballot Transfer Bag
When reviewing an application make sure it is complete with:
The voter’s name and address
Their DOB
Box 6a for their MVA driver’s license
Or Box 6b with their Social Security Number
Or Box 6c stating they do not have a Driver’s license or social security number
Party Affiliation
- And Signature. NOTE: If the voter does not sign the application their ballot will be rejected at canvass.

7. 01-001
You will also use the VAC to complete the ELECTION JUDGE PORTION ONLY of the back of the provisional application after the voter completes it.
- Check the reason code #
- Record the Ballot Style issued
- Initial where indicated
- If the Provisional Voter has a reason code of “6” they are a “Pending – Show ID” voter. Ask for their ID (usually they will show their driver’s license or other Acceptable Form of ID), check box number 6 and indicate
what form of ID they showed. If it is a driver’s license, write the license number where indicated on the form.
Once this is completed, insert the printed or handwritten VAC into the Provisional VAC Envelope, give the voter their ballot and direct them to the Provisional Voting Booth. Instruct them to fill in the oval next to the choice they wish to vote for.
Tell the voter, once they have completed their ballot to fold it in thirds (Trainer – demonstrate how to fold the ballot) , place it in the Application envelope, seal it and return to the provisional table.
Have the voter put their sealed envelope into the Provisional Ballot Transfer Bag.
Their vote has been cast.
DEMO NEW VOTING SYSTEM

8. Voting Equipment Demonstration
If everyone can now go back to the Ballot Marking Devices and __________________ will demonstrate the new voting system for you.

9. Recording Ballots Issued
After issuing a ballot, record by tally mark in the appropriate box of the Provisional Ballot Tally Sheet
Once you issue a ballot, record it on the Provisional Ballot Tally Sheet by placing a tally mark in the box corresponding to the ballot style that was issued.

10. SPOILED Spoiling a Ballot Draw a line through all ovals
Three Strike Policy
Paper Ballots
Draw a line through all ovals
Have the voter write ‘SPOILED’ across their current ballot
Ballot Activation Cards
Have the voter write ‘SPOILED’ through the barcodes
All spoiled ballots should be placed in the Spoiled Provisional Ballots Envelope
SPOILED
If a voter makes a mistake on their ballot, they have the option of being issued another one, but first they must spoil the original.
To spoil a paper ballot, instruct the voter to draw a line through all ovals and write ‘SPOILED’ across the ballot.
For a Ballot Activation Card, have the voter right ‘SPOILED” through the barcodes on their ballot.
All spoiled Provisional Ballots must be put into the Spoiled Provisional Ballots Envelope.
Before issuing the voter another provisional ballot, alert them that they may only be issued a total of three ballots.
While the voter votes their new ballot, mark a tally in the corresponding box on the Provisional Ballot Tally Sheet and record the incident in your log.
Voters can only receive 3 ballots. If for some reason the voter spoils their first two, recommend that they complete their final ballot on the Ballot Marking Device.

11. Cancelling a VAC Reasons for doing so:
Voter hands you VAC with the wrong name
Voter has moved within the last 21 days and should be issued a regular ballot
Fleeing or irate voter who doesn’t want to vote anymore
Send them to Check In to correct issue
Place canceled Provisional VAC into the Canceled Provisional VAC Envelope
You would send the voter to the Check-in to have their VAC canceled in the event of a wrong name, voter has moved within the last 21 days but this was not dealt with at the Check-in or a fleeing voter.
Send them to Check In to correct issue and place canceled Provisional VAC into the Canceled Provisional VAC Envelope.
NOTE ABOUT FLEEING VOTER: Once the VAC is cancelled at check-in you will have to spoil the ballot, tally that on your tally sheet and put in the Spoiled Ballot Envelope

12. Provisional Closing Certificate
Record the # of Provisional paper ballots and Activation Cards that were issued and spoiled for the day
Record the remaining # of ballots for each style
Place an outer seal on the Orange Provisional Transfer Bag and record its # on the certificate
Sign the form and have the Chief Judges sign it X X X
When the polls close you will do the following:
Record the # of VAC’s issued
Record the number of ballots and Ballot Activation Cards issued from the Provisional Ballot Accounting Form
Record the number of spoiled ballots and Ballot Activation Cards from the Provisional Ballot Accounting Form
Record the total number of unused ballots (aside from the Ballot Activation Cards)
Record the outer seal on the Transfer Bag
Sign the certificate and have the Chief Judges sign it

13. Packing up at the End of the Night
Place the following in the Orange Provisional Supply Bag
All Provisional materials and supplies including the Ballot Transfer Bag
Chief Judge Binder
Completed Forms envelope
ALL VAC envelopes
Security Envelope with the memory sticks and CF cards
Secure Ballot Bin(s) with the orange Provisional Bag for the EDSS.
EDSS will secure the Provisional Bag after verifying its contents
NOTE: Place the unvoted Provisional Ballots in the Unvoted Provisional Ballot Envelope. Give this to the Chief Judges to secure in the Ballot Scanning Units.
Read word for word while demonstrating.