Vicki Cannon sets the record straight

From Vicki Cannon
Nassau County Supervisor of Elections
October 24, 2020

RESPONSE TO MISINFORMATION

On Wednesday, October 21st, one of the ballot on demand printers used at the voter check-in station at the Atlantic Avenue Recreation Center early voting site had a mechanical malfunction and was not printing ballots correctly and, therefore, the tabulators would not accept those ballots. The ballot tabulators were thought to be the issue initially as the humidity has been very high and that can cause ballots to jam, etc. Within a few minutes of a Supervisor of Elections technical staff member arriving at the site, the actual cause of the issue was determined to be a particular printer.

Pursuant to Florida Administrative Rule, in a situation where the tabulator is not accepting ballots, the Emergency Ballot Bin is utilized to securely collect the ballots until the issue can be resolved. The Emergency Ballot Bin is an integrated part of the larger bin with a separate lockable storage area and door. If the Emergency Ballot Bin is used during the day, after the polls close each night the Election Workers announce that the Emergency Ballot Bin is being opened and any ballots inside it are scanned through the tabulators.

Any ballots that could not be scanned into the tabulators (Unscanned Ballots and Provisional Ballots) are secured by the election workers in containers and the numbers recorded on the Election Report Form, an accounting of the number of voters who were issued ballots to the number of ballots that were cast.

Any Unscanned Ballots that could not be tabulated at the polling place/early voting site will be delivered to the Canvassing Board in sealed containers and scanned into the high-speed tabulators during a Canvassing Board meeting.

To receive factual information on laws, rules, procedures, etc., and answers to any questions you may have, please contact the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections at 904-491-7500.