spoiled ballots
Rejected election papers
Spoiled ballots are votes that cannot be counted because they were marked incorrectly, damaged, or rendered invalid.
A voter might accidentally spoil a ballot by selecting too many candidates, making stray marks, or failing to follow instructions.
In some systems, voters who make mistakes can request a fresh ballot.
Spoiled ballots are distinct from blank or intentionally defaced protest votes, though all end up uncounted.
- election lawsBallot box legislation
- voter disenfranchisementRemoving citizens' electoral participation rights
- contested electionsVoting outcomes formally challenged
- vote countingTotaling cast ballots
- voter intentMeaning behind a ballot
election officials · election night · absentee voting · paper trail · judicial oversight · recounts · polling stations · election integrity · dispute resolution · protest votes · hanging chad · misinterpretation · voter registration · accessibility features · electoral rolls · overvoting · advocacy campaigns · reform movements
- election fraudelection fraud, voter fraud, vote rigging, rigged elections, rigged election
- UK electionsgeneral elections, general election, by-election, candidate, constituency
- electionsvoter registration, candidates, polls, election day, voters
- political apathyvoter apathy, political apathy, nonvoting, non-voting, low turnout