BISMARCK, N.D (AP) - A federal judge in North Dakota has approved a plan for handling mail-in ballots with questionable voter signatures. Tuesday’s primary is being conducted exclusively by mail due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
The plan approved by Chief Judge Peter Welte is the result of a lawsuit that challenged a state law requiring a match between a signature on an absentee ballot and the voter’s signature on his or her ballot application.
Welte recently said the law was likely unconstitutional because it provides no notice to a voter whose ballot is rejected because of a questionable signature.
The judge ordered the secretary of state’s office to work with the plaintiffs on a process to provide notice to voters in the June election whose signatures are questioned and give those voters a chance to verify their ballots, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
Welte approved the plan Friday. It requires county auditors to “take reasonable steps as soon as practicable” to inform voters with signature mismatches. Steps include an attempt to reach them by phone and if that fails contacting them by mail.
A voter has until the meeting of the vote canvassing board on the sixth day following the election to confirm the legitimacy of his or her signature.
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