Good Question: Specific color of pen, pencil for absentee voting?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — A lot of you plan to vote absentee in the November election. One viewer asked, "Are you supposed to use a specific type of pen or pencil?"

Article 7 of the Election Law states to "mark only with pen or pencil." It does not state a color.

However, when News10NBC talked to the Monroe County Board of Elections (BOE), commissioners say you should use blue or black ink. If you don’t use those colors the machine will have a hard time reading it. If that happens, BOE officials say the ballot would be pulled to be counted by hand.

Keep in mind, any other mark or writing made outside voting boxes or blank spaces provided for write-ins may void your entire ballot.

You have until Oct. 27 to fill out the application to request an absentee ballot from your county board of elections by writing, calling or emailing. However, you can apply in-person until Nov. 2.

If you’re voting absentee, make sure you get your ballot in the mail no later than Nov. 3. You can also bring it to the county board of elections during business hours on or before election day or bring it to a polling site on election day.

Another option is to take your absentee ballot to an early voting polling site between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1.

If you’re not registered to vote, the deadline is Friday.

If you have a question you’d like answered, email GoodQuestion@whec.com.