A post shared on X warns U.S. election voters that using Sharpie markers to fill out their ballots will result in those votes being disqualified.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you draw on your ballot or you mark outside of the little bubble, your ballot will be INVALIDATED.
Do not write on your ballot unless you want @KamalaHarris to win.
Anyone telling you to write on your ballot or outside of the lines…
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 13, 2024
Verdict: False
This claim, which has reappeared in multiple election cycles, has no factual basis. Election officials across several states have publicly addressed and dismissed the concern.
Fact Check:
The state of Georgia has seen record turnout during its first two days of early in-person voting for the 2024 presidential campaign, according to ABC News. In North Carolina, 76 polling locations in 25 counties affected by Hurricane Helene have opened, Fox News reported.
The X post, first written by political activist Laura Loomer, features replies from several users claiming that ballots marked with a sharpie would be invalidated. “Fellow Arizonians – do NOT use a sharpie either – no matter what anyone tells you. It clearly says on the ballot to use black or blue pen ONLY,” one post’s caption reads.
This claim has resurfaced several times in recent elections, including in 2020 and 2022, and has been repeatedly debunked by election officials and fact-checkers. During the 2020 election, controversy arose in Maricopa County, Arizona, with some voters alleging that they were given Sharpies deliberately to spoil their ballots. In response, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors clarified that Sharpies are recommended for use because their fast-drying ink minimizes smudging, allowing tabulation machines to scan ballots efficiently.
The Arizona Clean Elections Commission issued a statement assuring voters that the new election machines used in the county are designed to work best with Sharpie ink. Even if the ink bleeds through the paper, it doesn’t interfere with vote counting, as the ballot design prevents markings from affecting other races. (RELATED: Viral X Post Makes False Claim About Mail-In Ballots In PA During The 2020 Election)
Similarly, in 2022, the Illinois State Board of Elections addressed the same rumor, confirming via its X account that many voting machines are optimized for use with felt-tip pens. “Don’t worry if you’re handed a Sharpie,” the post read. “They’re often preferred by election systems.”
Other jurisdictions, including Santa Clara County in California, have echoed these reassurances. Their election website recommends Sharpies because the ink dries quickly and is easily detected by scanners. Montgomery County in Pennsylvania and the Michigan Secretary of State’s office have issued similar guidance, confirming that votes marked with Sharpies are counted. Montgomery and Bedford counties in Pennsylvania also state on their websites that sharpies are safe to use on ballots.
Despite repeated efforts to correct this misconception, it continues to circulate online. During both the 2020 and 2022 elections, misinformation about voting procedures was prevalent, including false claims of deleted votes and duplicated ballots.