an alert from Bradley Thomas: wrong ballot = no vote

See this message from Truxton Circle resident Bradley Thomas, a candidate for an ANC 5E single member district commissioner:

       

From: ``Thomas, Bradley (ANC 5C01)`` <5c01 anc.dc.gov="anc.dc.gov">

Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 12:56 PM

Subject: [WardFive] D.C. Voter Alert! WRONG BALLOT=NO VOTE

   

Attention All Ward 5 Voters:

      

A neighbor of mine just called me to tell me that when she went to vote at the Turkey Thicket early voting center, she didn`t see my name on the ballot for ANC. Instead, she saw the names of the three candidates who are running in the Single Member District (SMD) to the immediate north of our SMD. Her solution was to write in my name. Unfortunately, that solution was ineffective because the problem was that even though she produced her voter registration card, she was given the wrong ballot. As a result, she wrote in the name of a candidate who is not running, and in fact would be ineligible to run in the SMD for which the ballot she was given was issued. In short, her vote for ANC is invalid and does not count. It might even be that since she was given the wrong ballot, all of her votes from President down might be invalid and not counted as well. I`m not sure about that but it`s conceivable.

    

The message here is make sure, whether you vote early or go to the polls on Tuesday, that the poll workers give you the right ballot. If the names on the ballot for ANC are not familiar or are from a different SMD from the one in which you live, YOU HAVE THE WRONG BALLOT. Take it back to the desk from which you got it and ask for the right ballot.

  

There is nothing nefarious going on here; this is almost certainly just an honest mistake. But it does affect your right to vote and the legitimacy of the vote you cast so please, be diligent about this.

   

PLEASE POST THIS MESSAGE TO ALL LIST SERVES.

  

Bradley A. Thomas