Young California Voters Face Signature Issues
South Los Angeles resident Taylor Johnson recently discovered that his vote in the presidential election had not been counted due to discrepancies in his signature on the ballot envelope. Johnson, 20, who works as an administrative assistant at a medical imaging clinic, had transitioned from printing his name to perfecting his cursive signature just a few months before the election. However, election workers flagged his ballot, claiming his signature did not match the one they had on file.
In California, where voters under 25 constituted 10% of the November electorate, young voters like Johnson faced challenges due to signature issues. A survey conducted by the voter data firm Political Data Inc. revealed that nearly 3 in 10 ballots with signature problems belonged to voters younger than 25, while over half were from voters under 35.
The Impact of Signature Verification on Elections
California relies on signatures to verify the identities of mail voters. Each ballot envelope is scrutinized by multiple election workers to ensure the signature aligns with the voter’s registration paperwork or driver’s license. In the November election, almost 200,000 ballots were flagged for signature issues across the state, with around 60% eventually counted through a process known as “curing.”
Paul Mitchell, a vice president at PDI, emphasized the challenges of managing signatures for millions of voters. He highlighted that diverse factors like signature changes over time or casual and incomplete signatures could lead to ballots being set aside.
Strategies for Addressing Signature Concerns
To mitigate signature discrepancies, Orange County registrar of voters Bob Page recommended that voters check their driver’s license signature before signing their ballots. Voters should update their signature on file if it has changed significantly over time. Mitchell’s analysis further revealed that in competitive congressional races, both Republicans and Democrats improved their ballot curing rates by deploying volunteers and staff to assist voters.
A Personal Experience with Signature Issues
Cassidy Crotwell, 22, had a firsthand encounter with signature problems when she received a text message from the Orange County Registrar’s office regarding her November ballot. Despite not fixing her signature, she plans to update it at the DMV. Crotwell’s experience underscores the importance of signature verification for young voters like her.
As voters navigate the complexities of signature requirements in elections, it becomes evident that ensuring their votes count goes beyond casting a ballot. The stories of Taylor Johnson, Cassidy Crotwell, and many others highlight the significance of signature issues for young Californian voters and the need for proactive measures to address these challenges effectively.