Fayette Co. Election Bureau Says Ballots Marked With Sharpies Will Count After False Rumors Go Viral
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
UNIONTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) -- Fayette County leaders say ballots marked with Sharpies will count.
In a release on Thursday night, the Fayette County Election Bureau said false claims began swirling on social media about the use of Sharpie pens on ballots following Election Day. The bureau said those claims and the controversy "SharpieGate" are false.
Fayette County processed more than 44,000 ballots, and the majority were marked using black Sharpie markers, officials said. Sharpie pens were recommended for the county's specific paper ballots, which were selected by the county's election contractor, Dominion Voting Systems.
"All votes correctly submitted to the Fayette County Election Bureau via mail-in, absentee or in person at the polls will be counted," the release said.
"Nationwide, it is recommended that voters use black ink to complete official ballots. However, black, blue and other dark-colored inks can be accepted," the release added.
The county said Dominion Voting Systems has multiple back-up processing options to ensure every vote is counted. A Sharpie "will not affect a ballot's readability," the release said.