Would you use a pencil to vote?

Question

I'm mostly aiming this question to Americans. Here in the UK, it's local election day and people are heading to the polling stations to cast their vote.

The traditional method here is to put an X in a box using a PENCIL, which comes tied to a piece of string.

Thoughts

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

No because, for the most part, states that use writing implements for voting require ink pens.

When I used to live in New York, we had old school mechanical voting machines. So we'd pull down levers and then pull a giant lever to record all our votes and reset all the voting levers back to normal for the next voter.
When I lived in California, we used a pegboard system where we were given a card that would represent the ballot and then we would puncture holes in the card for what we wanted to vote for.
Here in the state of Missouri, we are given a paper ballot and fill in ovals with an ink pen. If you don't have an inkpen when you vote, they will provide one for you.

OneViewpoint · Accepted Answer

No. Obviously a pencil opens the door for altering a ballot. Here in the US, at least where I live, we use a black pen to color in little ovals indicating our choices and then hand carry our ballot to a scanner and the scanned ballot drops into a collection bin after being recorded. The paper ballots become the physical record for a recount if necessary.

RandomGirl42 · Accepted Answer

Lol! Yes, here in the backasswards woods of Maine that is exactly the type of booth they set up at the town office. Like a little shower stall with a pencil on a string. 🤣

Then we all hang out in the parking lot and drink and argue about who we just voted for!

TsundereMatrix · Accepted Answer

I live in Canada and they also tell us to vote in pencil. There is some push back here because many people speculate that the officials erase and change votes.

RavVid · Answer

We used to be supplied with pencils but they never had that luxury hole that Shaw's Ballot Pencil have. You can guess what happened given our history. Last time they had biros and relied on people putting them back on the voting booth.

Pretty sure it will be bring your own at the next election. Unless AEC imports crates of Shaw's.

AyChingao · Answer

Sure, and I have. That was the very method my voting precinct up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina used. Here in DFW it's a touch screen.

exitseven · Answer

Just until recently my town used pencils. The last election I noticed that they switched to pens. I do not know why but it probably is function of the kind of machine they use to count the ballots.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

I would not. Reason: voting is pointless to me. I will not be represented anyway, and in any case. I might use dogshit, though, to mark my opinion.

FreyaRed · Answer

I think pencils is forbidden here. Permanent markers and ballpoint pens lie around to make an X on ballots.

genericname85 · Answer

where i live, you can't cast a vote with a pencil. it will be ignored cause it's not indelible and can easily be altered. that's pretty much the law for every official documentation here.

NathanDavis · Answer

would not matter to me... but I actually never vote

Anonymous · Answer

I wish people were happier and could just enjoy each day to day. Hell, I love waking up every day.

It reminds me it's another day. Another day. Another day.

God I love this spinning spherical rock called Earth 🌎 🌍 😅

Anonymous · Answer

I dont trust Tepublicans to not learn what erasers are.

Anonymous · Answer

americans dont care about what goes on outside america. if journalists research stuff they complain to them.

BadApple69 · Answer

Oh you mean something that can easily be erased?

molonski2 · Answer

Same in Australia 🦘 n, exactly  .

Shiprex · Answer

It is meant to be used

RedInnocent69 · Answer

John Wick used one to kill a man

888theGreat · Answer

We use pens /markers , black.

Anonymous · Answer

What else should I use besides the pencil?

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Yes.

Would you use a pencil to vote?

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Would you use a pencil to vote?

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Do you ever use a pencil if NOT in school?

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