How To Change Your Vote On A Ballot

On Monday, he continued efforts to discredit mail-in ballots and claimed we "must take a final total past November. 3," which Twitter flagged as misleading and blocked users from seeing on their feeds. CNN has previously fact-checked like comments: this is a misinterpretation of how the organization works and an unrealistic expectation for 2020'southward pandemic-era ballot.

On Tuesday, Trump suggested voters tin can modify their votes, tweeting: "Strongly Trending (Google) since immediately later the 2nd fence is CAN I Modify MY VOTE? This refers changing it to me. The answer in almost states is YES. Get exercise it. Near important Election of your life!"

Facts First: This is misleading at best. In "virtually" states, once your ballot has been cast, either in the mail service or in person, you cannot change your vote.

In response to the President's tweet, CNN reached out to all 50 states almost their policies regarding changing i's vote. All but v responded. Of those that did, all simply half-dozen told CNN that voters are non immune to modify their votes. The remaining six -- Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York and Wisconsin -- provided data about processes they practise take in place or provisions in country law which would permit someone to change their vote.

"For the most office, this is not allowed," Bister McReynolds, the former director of elections in Denver and at present CEO of the National Vote at Domicile Institute, a mail service-balloting advocacy group, told CNN. "The standard practice is usually commencement ballot in the door. Yous can't change your mind afterward you submitted."

In some states, information technology depends on how they define submitted. For case, Gabe Rosenberg, communications director for Connecticut'south secretary of state, told CNN voters in Connecticut cannot alter their vote only a state statute allows those who voted by mail to withdraw their absentee ballot if they asking to exercise so in person by 5 p.m. Friday at the latest. That ballot would and so exist invalidated and their vote non counted.

Voters could and then request some other absentee ballot or choose to vote in person. In theory, someone could vote for one candidate on the absentee election, alter their mind, so record their vote for some other candidate. Rosenberg nonetheless insists that'south non technically changing their vote because the initial option was never recorded or counted.

Several states do take policies for people who may have received and filled out an absentee ballot but non notwithstanding dropped it off or put it in the mail and now wish to alter their vote. In that case, some states permit voters to request a replacement ballot or vote in person instead and "spoil" or void the initial absentee ballot.

Others, like Texas, crave voters to bring their spoiled ballot to a polling place and surrender it. And in New Mexico, for case, voters who requested an absentee ballot accept to sign an affidavit stating that they don't intend to submit it in order to vote in person.

While this could technically permit someone to change what they may have filled out on an initial ballot, it is not quite the same as changing your vote.

"It'southward very difficult to change your vote one time it's in the hopper," Wendy Underhill, director of Elections & Redistricting for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told CNN's Kelly Mena. "The deciding indicate is, has your first ballot been received and accounted for and if not, you lot may have a run a risk to go in and say: 'I want to practice it differently.' "

However, a few states do conspicuously support a voter's power to modify their vote. Hither are the details:

Michigan

Michigan allows voters to invalidate or "spoil" their absentee ballot and receive a new i despite having already voted and returned it.

Voters have to request the new mail service-in ballot before 5 p.1000. on the Friday prior to the election or in person before iv p.m. on the Monday prior to the election.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, "a voter with an accustomed election may request to spoil their ballot and receive a replacement" until 2 weeks before the election. Commonly, the request tin be made upwards to a week before the election, just nether the new policy due to Covid-19, voters would not be able to alter their vote if they wished to do and then following the President's tweet, given how close information technology was to the ballot.

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, voters can spoil their ballot twice if they make a error or change their listen, regardless of whether they're voting at a polling identify or past mail. Those who accept submitted an absentee election but want to change their vote must request a new ballot in writing or at the clerk's office in person until 5 p.chiliad. on the Th before an election.

One time the initial ballot is spoiled, voters can go vote in person or request another absentee ballot. If the 2nd or third election does not arrive at the clerk'due south office by Election Twenty-four hour period, it will not exist counted.

New York

In New York, it depends on the method used to vote. Those who request and bandage an absentee ballot can request another or vote in person to change their vote. Even so, if you vote in person early, that vote may non exist changed.

New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, the timing is critical. Someone could change their vote past voting in person before their absentee ballot has been candy because those are processed afterwards in the day on Election Day. The land's deadline for absentee ballots to be received is v p.1000. on Election Day.

Delaware

In Delaware, if a voter wants to modify their vote afterward already submitting their absentee or vote by mail ballot, they have to contact their county elections function. The county elections part volition let the voter know if the ballot has already been processed or prepared for scanning and tabulation. If not, the voter could request to change their vote.

CNN's Hyeyoon "Alyssa" Choi, Kelly Mena, Ellie Kaufman, Annie Grayer, Sarah Jorgenson, Taylor Romine, Caroline Kenny, Ashley Killough, Stephanie Becker, Aaron Cooper, Jason Morris, Leslie Perrot, Pamela Kirkland and Brusk Devine contributed to this article.