ballotmarking

Ballot marking is the process by which a voter's selections are recorded on a ballot for an election. It can occur by hand marking on paper ballots or through devices that print a ballot reflecting the voter's choices. The resulting marked ballot is then counted by the election system.

In many jurisdictions, ballots are physical and hand-marked, while others use ballot marking devices that guide the voter through options, produce a marked paper ballot or a voter-verifiable paper record, which is then counted by optical scanners or by hand. Some systems are direct-recording electronic and may or may not provide a separate paper record.

The ballot-marking approach is chosen to balance accessibility, privacy, and security. Ballot marking devices often provide enlarged text, audio interface, or adjustable contrast to assist voters with disabilities and language needs. The printed ballot allows verification by the voter and auditing.

Security and integrity concerns include the risk of incorrect markings, misinterpretation by tabulators, or tampering with the marking device. To mitigate, many jurisdictions implement post-election audits, chain-of-custody procedures, and use voter-verifiable paper trails. Ballots are designed so that a voter's selections remain secret and cannot be linked to the voter’s identity.

In practice, ballot marking is part of the broader election process, including ballot design, marking, submission, and counting.