District of Columbia Provisional Ballot Process

Provisional ballots are counted 10 days after the election.

You will be required to cast a provisional ballot if:

• You are voing outside your assigned precinct
• You register to vote at the polling place on Election Day but you did not provide acceptable proof of residence
• You change your address at the polling place on Election Day but you did not provide acceptable proof of residence
• You are maked as an early voter in the pollbook
• You are marked as an absentee voter in the pollbook
• You are marked as ID required in the pollbook. This is for voters who did not provide ID when registering to vote.
• You are marked as Administrative Challenge in the pollbook. This happens when the Board of Elections mails something to your address on record and that mailing is returned to the Board within 30 days of the election.
• You claim a different party affiliation status (Primary Elections only)
• Your right to vote was challenged by another voter or poll watcher and approved by the Precinct Captian
• Vothing hours were extended by a court or the Board

If you need to provide identification or other information to have your ballot counted, you have two days to provide it to the Board. Information about how to find out if your vote will be counted and how to appeal the Board's decision is provided to all provisional ballot voters at the polls.