VERIFY: No, if you date a ballot using shorthand for the year '20' instead of '2020', the ballot won't be rejected

WASHINGTON — QUESTION: 

If you date the ballot with the two-digit year (for example: 0/23/20) rather than the four-digit year (10/23/2020) will your ballot be rejected in D.C., Maryland and Virginia?

ANSWER:

No, according to election officials in those jurisdictions.

SOURCES:

Maryland State Board of Elections 

Virginia Department of Elections 

D.C. Board of Elections 

PROCESS:

Our Verify researchers took that claim to election officials across our region: the Maryland State Board of Elections, D.C. Board of Elections and Virginia Department of Elections. They say it’s not true. 

"No it would not be rejected," Jessica Bowman, Virginia Department of Elections deputy commissioner, said.

Officials in Maryland and D.C. agree.

"No, we are not in the business of trying to reject ballots...," Alice Miller, Executive Director of D.C.'s Board of Elections said. "We want people to vote, we want people to just sign their ballot and date it, obviously we need a date. It doesn't matter if it says 2020 or 20."

So we can Verify, this one is false.

RELATED: VERIFY: Here are the top three reasons your ballot might be rejected, and how to make sure your vote is counted

Beyond writing the shorthand form of a date, does it matter if a ballot is filled out and there is a stray marking?

QUESTION: Can stray markings disqualify a ballot?

ANSWER: No, your ballot will still be able to be counted.

SOURCES: Election officials in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

A spokesperson for Virginia elections said a poll worker may write on a ballot depending on precinct operations. But she does confirm that this marking will not disqualify a ballot.

In the District, the executive director for the DC Board of Elections agreed.

“Stray marks are not a problem on a ballot," they said, "The ballot will be counted."

A spokesperson for Maryland’s Board of Elections said that it’s unlikely markings would cause a problem. However, if there was some sort of issue that kept the ballot from scanning in the voting machine, you can also get a replacement ballot.

So we can Verify that no, your ballot will not be disqualified if it has stray markings on it, whether they are made by you or someone else.