Helen Rosales showing her voting receipt. She said she couldn’t vote because the signature she provided and the one in the system didn’t match. (Edda Leon/SFNS)
Helen Rosales didn’t vote Kendale Elementary School, though not for lack of trying.
Rosales said she couldn’t vote because her signature on her driver’s license and the one, filed under her name, in the electoral system didn’t match.
Rosales said she remembers signing her name the same way since she was a little girl. She said the voting process seemed “very sketchy.”
“I’m upset,” she said. “Someone could’ve voted for me already.”
Rosales said she and poll workers tried to void the wrong signature on the spot. It didn’t work.
They then gave her an address where she would be able to correct the issue, but she said she had to go to work and wouldn’t have time to do it.
Even though Rosales couldn’t vote, she said “everyone’s voice is important.”
“People don’t understand how critical it is to vote,” she said. “They say ‘Oh, I don’t like either one. I’m not going to vote.’ You have to vote even if you don’t like either one. And see which one is not the worst.”
Robert Rodriguez, a staffer for Miami-Dade County Elections Department, said there are different procedures depending on the voter’s issue and circumstances.
He said if voters have issues with their signatures, they are able to use a provisional ballot that will later be sent to the department’s canvassing board the same day.
He also said affidavits can also be filed by voters when there are signature discrepancies. The legal document helps to confirm their identity.
An email sent to Rosales to ask if she was offered a chance to vote provisionally was not immediately returned.
Helen Rosales showing her voting receipt. She said she couldn’t vote because the signature she provided and the one in the system didn’t match. (Edda Leon/SFNS)
Helen Rosales didn’t vote Kendale Elementary School, though not for lack of trying.
Rosales said she couldn’t vote because her signature on her driver’s license and the one, filed under her name, in the electoral system didn’t match.
Rosales said she remembers signing her name the same way since she was a little girl. She said the voting process seemed “very sketchy.”
“I’m upset,” she said. “Someone could’ve voted for me already.”
Rosales said she and poll workers tried to void the wrong signature on the spot. It didn’t work.
They then gave her an address where she would be able to correct the issue, but she said she had to go to work and wouldn’t have time to do it.
Even though Rosales couldn’t vote, she said “everyone’s voice is important.”
“People don’t understand how critical it is to vote,” she said. “They say ‘Oh, I don’t like either one. I’m not going to vote.’ You have to vote even if you don’t like either one. And see which one is not the worst.”
Robert Rodriguez, a staffer for Miami-Dade County Elections Department, said there are different procedures depending on the voter’s issue and circumstances.
He said if voters have issues with their signatures, they are able to use a provisional ballot that will later be sent to the department’s canvassing board the same day.
He also said affidavits can also be filed by voters when there are signature discrepancies. The legal document helps to confirm their identity.
An email sent to Rosales to ask if she was offered a chance to vote provisionally was not immediately returned.
