CMC Election Administration & Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'ballot on demand' system?
- A system that prints customized ballots for individual voters at the polling place (Correct answer)
- A process allowing voters to request ballots by telephone
- An automatic mailing of ballots to all registered voters
- A backup supply of pre-printed ballots kept at election headquarters
Correct answer: A system that prints customized ballots for individual voters at the polling place
Ballot-on-demand systems print the correct ballot style for each voter at the polling place, reducing waste and ballot management complexity.
Question 2: When must a municipal clerk typically publish a Notice of Election?
- A specified number of days before the election as required by state statute (Correct answer)
- On election day itself
- The day after candidate filing closes
- Only when requested by a candidate
Correct answer: A specified number of days before the election as required by state statute
State law specifies the minimum number of days before an election that the Notice of Election must be published to inform voters of the date, offices, and polling locations.
Question 3: What is a 'write-in' candidate, and what is typically required for their votes to be counted?
- A candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot and who has usually filed a declaration of intent (Correct answer)
- Any candidate who submits their nomination by written petition only
- A candidate appointed by the governing body to fill a vacancy
- A candidate who forfeits their position and is replaced by a write-in winner
Correct answer: A candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot and who has usually filed a declaration of intent
A write-in candidate is not on the printed ballot; most states require them to file a declaration of intent before the election for their votes to be officially tallied.
Question 4: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what must polling places provide?
- Accessible entrances, pathways, and at least one accessible voting station (Correct answer)
- A separate voting room for voters with disabilities
- Transportation assistance to all voters with disabilities
- Sign language interpreters at every polling place
Correct answer: Accessible entrances, pathways, and at least one accessible voting station
The ADA requires that polling places be physically accessible and that at least one voting station allows independent, private voting for persons with disabilities.
Question 5: What is 'curbside voting'?
- An accommodation allowing voters who cannot enter the polling place to vote from their vehicle (Correct answer)
- Early voting conducted in a mobile unit outside city hall
- A drive-through ballot drop-off service
- Voting at a table set up outside the polling location entrance
Correct answer: An accommodation allowing voters who cannot enter the polling place to vote from their vehicle
Curbside voting allows voters with disabilities or health conditions that prevent them from entering the polling place to receive and cast a ballot outside.
Question 6: What is the significance of the 'canvass' in the election process?
- It is the official review and certification of all votes cast, including provisional and absentee ballots (Correct answer)
- It is the process of removing ineligible voters from the rolls
- It refers to campaigning activities by candidates prior to election day
- It is the audit of campaign finance reports after an election
Correct answer: It is the official review and certification of all votes cast, including provisional and absentee ballots
The canvass is the formal post-election process where election officials review, reconcile, and certify all ballots cast to produce the official results.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of an 'overvote'?
- A voter marks more candidates than allowed for a single race (Correct answer)
- A voter leaves a race blank on the ballot
- A voter casts a ballot in the wrong precinct
- A voter submits both an absentee and in-person ballot
Correct answer: A voter marks more candidates than allowed for a single race
An overvote occurs when a voter selects more candidates than permitted in a contest, rendering that race on the ballot uncountable.
CMC Election Administration & Procedures 3
What is a 'ballot on demand' system?