* People should either get off Facebook or unfollow goofs like this…
Voters — Please beware of incorrect information in your social media like this Facebook post. When you vote, the election judge will initial your ballot in the space marked "Judge's Initials." This has been part of the process for many decades. pic.twitter.com/px4snP7uvx
That one is all over the place. Several acquaintances who know I am an election judge have sent me this same facebook post over the past few weeks and asked for verification. I first alert them to the unknown unnamed “source” which is a “tell”, and then I tell them that each state has its own election rules and procedures– but that in Illinois that post is dwfinitely. not. true.
“passed all the classes” really makes it sound like a much more robust process than it is.
The good news for our election system is the overwhelming majority of our poll workers mean well. Using Facebook to convince members of the public that our poll workers don’t mean well really undermines how smoothly things go at the polls.
- Haven't picked one yet - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:19 am:
Does that mean my votes never counted? My son goes Sat for election training. I will ask him about what they tell him since he works my polling place.
- Bruce( no not him) - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:21 am:
You mean there isn’t a special day set aside on Nov 4th for Biden voters? /S
Amazing how we are actually sliding backwards in intelligence. When did ignorance and lack of intelligence become something people aspire to?
- Because I said so.... - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:28 am:
Facebook is a cesspool of misinformation.
On another note, I heard yesterday that in Chicago, all necessary election judge positions have been filled. So unlike previous years where they were begging for judges. I am so happy that this year, American’s are voting and taking part in the electoral process.
An election judge is required to initial the ballot before it is given to the voter. If the ballot is not initialed, and if there is later a recount (i.e., if someone scrutinizes the ballot and notices the missing initials), the ballot is legally invalid.
I guess if I read it on on Facebook from a friend of a friend of a brothers cousin then it must be true right?
- Louis G Atsaves - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 11:19 am:
The election judges’ initials are written on the ballot before being handed to the voter during the check in process. That actually validates the ballot.
“Everybody has a right to express what he thinks. That, of course, lets the crackpots in. But if
you cannot tell a crackpot when you see one, then you ought to be taken in.”
– Harry Truman
Still Waiting–Yes, an election judge initials a vote-by-mail ballot after it has been received and accepted. Red ink is used for this since the tabulators do not read red ink. A vote-by-mail ballot is an official ballot.
- West Side the Best Side - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:07 am:
Your friend is either not reliable, not very smart and must have passed on a very big curve, or is nonexistent. Please make this stop.
- Responsa - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:10 am:
That one is all over the place. Several acquaintances who know I am an election judge have sent me this same facebook post over the past few weeks and asked for verification. I first alert them to the unknown unnamed “source” which is a “tell”, and then I tell them that each state has its own election rules and procedures– but that in Illinois that post is dwfinitely. not. true.
- Election Judge - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:15 am:
Really looking forward to all the shenanigans we’re sure to have to deal with on Tuesday. /s
Remember to be kind to your election judges.
- Haven't picked one yet - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:17 am:
I have voted in several elections and at my polling place no one ever touches my ballet after I get it.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:18 am:
“passed all the classes” really makes it sound like a much more robust process than it is.
The good news for our election system is the overwhelming majority of our poll workers mean well. Using Facebook to convince members of the public that our poll workers don’t mean well really undermines how smoothly things go at the polls.
- Haven't picked one yet - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:19 am:
Does that mean my votes never counted? My son goes Sat for election training. I will ask him about what they tell him since he works my polling place.
- Bruce( no not him) - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:21 am:
You mean there isn’t a special day set aside on Nov 4th for Biden voters? /S
- DownSouth - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:21 am:
It makes me incredibly sad that this is even a neccesary post…alas, the misinformation train is chugging along and building speed.
- Frank talks - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:25 am:
Amazing how we are actually sliding backwards in intelligence. When did ignorance and lack of intelligence become something people aspire to?
- Because I said so.... - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:28 am:
Facebook is a cesspool of misinformation.
On another note, I heard yesterday that in Chicago, all necessary election judge positions have been filled. So unlike previous years where they were begging for judges. I am so happy that this year, American’s are voting and taking part in the electoral process.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:28 am:
A free, unregulated platform, where all one needs is access to the internet to spew stupidity and ignorance to the world.
What could possibly go wrong?
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:29 am:
Call me paranoid, but this sounds like intentional harm. Ochen plovo, very bad in Russian.
- Is it 2021 yet - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:30 am:
An election judge is required to initial the ballot before it is given to the voter. If the ballot is not initialed, and if there is later a recount (i.e., if someone scrutinizes the ballot and notices the missing initials), the ballot is legally invalid.
- Hot Taeks - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:45 am:
I served as an election judge last year and initialing the ballot before it is given is standard procedure as many commenters have noted.
- Dutch - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 10:46 am:
In Kane County you don’t touch your ballot if you in-person vote. It is all through a machine anyway.
- Publius - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 11:13 am:
I guess if I read it on on Facebook from a friend of a friend of a brothers cousin then it must be true right?
- Louis G Atsaves - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 11:19 am:
The election judges’ initials are written on the ballot before being handed to the voter during the check in process. That actually validates the ballot.
Sigh.
- Still Waiting - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 11:42 am:
Do election judges initial mail-in ballots after they are returned?
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 12:06 pm:
“Everybody has a right to express what he thinks. That, of course, lets the crackpots in. But if
you cannot tell a crackpot when you see one, then you ought to be taken in.”
– Harry Truman
- Huh? - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 12:22 pm:
The give away that the post is fake is “A very reliable good friend of mine…”. It is a classic sign of a snopes urban legend.
- Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 1:23 pm:
Dotnonymous-Great quote.
- 37B - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 1:58 pm:
“A very reliable good friend of mine…”
Oh alright, “good friend” is Borat.
- Nearly Normal - Friday, Oct 30, 20 @ 3:14 pm:
Still Waiting–Yes, an election judge initials a vote-by-mail ballot after it has been received and accepted. Red ink is used for this since the tabulators do not read red ink. A vote-by-mail ballot is an official ballot.