What is a provisional ballot and what's their role in an election?
"provisional ballot."
If you go to your polling place and there's a minor snag with your voting credentials, you'll likely be given a
The 2020 presidential election was on track to be decided by a slim margin in a small number of battleground states, where provisional ballots are among the key votes being counted.
People using a provisional ballot typically had a problem while voting in-person, but are still allowed to cast a provisional vote. In order for it to be counted, election officials need to determine later whether their vote
is eligible.
Provisional ballots are "special ballots designed to ensure that all voters have a chance to cast a ballot even if their eligibility to vote is uncertain," according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
NBC News has detailed a range of scenarios where a voter may need a provisional ballot:
Voters who have moved or changed their name may not have their voter registration up-to-date; they may have forgotten their ID, if that's required in their state; or they may have issues with an absentee ballot.
Nationally, provisional ballots are deemed eligible about 80% of the time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Typically, they make up about 1% of total votes cast — although that number varies from state to state.