>> Hi I'm Cheryl Jones from the Fairfax County office of
elections. And I'm here to tell you how to complete your mail
in absentee ballot correctly to be sure your vote is counted.
Your ballot little arrive in the mail or like this has your
name on the front.
It's it has the Fairfax County logo on it says official
absentee ballot.
Inside you'll find.
Instructions,
you'll find in a on below that contains a ballot.
You'll find. Requests for assistance form you'll need
this if you need assistance in completing your ballot.
You'll find a be on the low that's a very important on the
local talk about that in a minute.
You'll also find a notice informing you if you are
required to return an identification
with your ballot when you return it and you'll find
return Mailer postage paid. So first year instructions open
them up and read them please read the instructions.
If you would like the long version the instructions fully
detail you can go to our website.
Fairfax County dot gov slash elections.
The request for assistance form you'll see needs to be
completed by your assistant system needs to sign it and put
it in his or her name and address.
On the low be is critical to making sure your ballot is
counted.
You see we've highlighted places that need to be
completed, you need to put your name in.
You're the address where you are registered to vote.
You need to sign it.
Now for this election you do not need a witnesses signature.
Even though it still is highlighted your ballot will
still be counted if you don't have a witness signature,
this is a special accommodation for COVID-19 passed by the
Legislature. The instructions.
At the top tells you you don't need a witness signature.
So now it's time to mark your ballot open open the envelope.
On the front there the 3 contests president Senate and
House.
Your instructions reminding you to fill out the small oval next
to your choice.
It's best to use a dark pen blue bike pen.
We want to be sure that the voting machine can read your
vote here instruction show you how to market
on the back.
You'll see 2 constitutional amendments.
Bond issues.
Here you just vote, yes or no the black lines around the
outside your ballot are important part of your ballot.
This is what is read by the digital scan voting machine.
So it knows that this is a official ballot.
Many people asked do we have to vote for everything know you
only have to vote for what you want to vote for if you just
want to vote for president that's fine if you only want to
vote for Sen. That's fine. The wreck, your ballot will
still be counted if you make a mistake on your ballot.
That's OK send us an e-mail at absentee voting.
At Fairfax County dot gov.
That's absentee voting all one word at Fairfax County
dot gov.
And just explain that you've spoiled your ballot and you
would like a replacement will put it put when the mail
probably the next day. When you've completed your ballot.
The ballot goes inside this beyond the up
ballot must be inside this is by law for us to count your
ballot. The ballot must come back inside the be on the love
you must have your name you must have your address.
You must have signed it.
See Leon. Hello
creates a secure on the low, so that no one can see how you
voted.
Some bloke isn't open until your ballot is accepted.
And then it's dropped still folded into a ballot box.
We don't there's no way we associate the voter with the
votes and with the ballot.
When you've completed your be on the low.
Put it inside your return mayor.
Is postage paid.
You put it in the mailbox and send it back you can also put
it in.
Drop boxes, the located all of the satellite early voting
locations, starting October 14 or you can bring it to the
government center
and put it in a drop box here at the early voting location.
Now.
If you need assistance.
Completing your ballot.
Be sure that this form is filled out correctly with your
assistance name and signature and your signature if you're
able to sign this also goes inside. This below.
Now if you see on your return address label
ID required.
The you'll see on the side if it says ID required.
Then you need to read these instructions. This means this
is the first time you're voting without having shown an ID and
you need to send us a photo copy of an ID does not to be a
photo ID and this these instructions will explain it.
And again that needs to go inside your Mailer now it's
time to return your ballot to us.
You can drop in the mail postage paid envelope.
The on the must be postmarked on or before election day to be
counted.
Or you can put it in a drop box. You can bring it to the
government center Fairfax County government center.
And place in a drop box at the in person voting location.
Or you can drop it at one of the satellite in person voting
locations after October 14 when they open
to find the locations of these satellite locations go to our
website Fairfax County dot gov
slash elections.
Many people ask are absentee ballots. Counted. Yes we count
every properly submitted absentee ballot.
So for more information
go to our website Fairfax County dot gov slash elections
or you can e-mail us at absentee voting at Fairfax
County dot gov.