Provisional Ballots

What is a Provisional Ballot?

A Provisional Ballot is a ballot that voters receive on election day that must go through additional verification before being counted. These ballots are often the last to be tabulated as they are sent to the Mohave County Recorder’s Office to be verified prior to being sent to the Election’s Department to be counted. The Recorder’s Office ensures that the person casting a Provisional is eligible to vote and that they received the correct ballot. They also have to make sure that the Provisional Ballot is completed accurately by the voter and the poll worker.

How to avoid a provisional ballot

• Be registered to vote before the deadline
• Update your voter registration to have the correct information
  • Political Party
  • Full Name
  • Accurate Residential Address
• Have a valid ID that matches the information on your registration
  • Matching Name
  • Matching Residential Address
  • If your ID does not match, bring extra identification that can verify your voter registration information
• Go to your correct precinct
  • If you have moved and are unable to update your information before the election, call our office to ensure you go to your new voting precinct
• Make sure your registration is active

Taking these steps does NOT guarantee that you will not have to vote provisionally, it only minimizes the chances. Outside factors can influence whether or not you are issued a provisional ballot.