Which statement describes a provisional ballot?

• A. A ballot cast when a voter's registration is verified on the spot.
• B. A ballot cast when eligibility cannot be verified immediately and counted after verification.
• C. A ballot that is only counted if the voter provides extra documents.
• D. A ballot that is mailed to all voters.

Answer: (B)

Provisional ballots are a safeguard that lets a voter participate even when eligibility can’t be confirmed right away. At the polling place, election staff verify registration and other eligibility factors. If that verification can’t be completed on the spot, the voter casts a provisional ballot and it’s kept separate from regular ballots. The ballot is counted later, after officials review and verify the voter's status. If the verification shows the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot becomes part of the official results; if not, it’s not counted. This system prevents eligible voters from being disenfranchised due to delays or missing information.

Regular ballots count immediately when eligibility is clear, while descriptions involving extra documents or universal mail ballots describe different voting procedures that aren’t provisional ballots.