MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — In what has come to be known as #Sharpiegate, social media posts circulated Wednesday claiming election officials in Arizona’s Maricopa County provided voters with Sharpie pens that canceled out votes, specifically those for President Donald Trump.
Arizona election officials disputed the posts, saying using a Sharpie would not invalidate a ballot. In fact, officials said that voting centers used Sharpies so that the ink would not smudge when ballots were counted.
KARE 11 verified the claim as it pertained to Minnesota ballots, after viewers sent in questions on the matter.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon’s office said ballot processing machines are tested with “all types of pens, and will read a dark mark that is placed in the marking area; it does not matter if it is felt tip, ball point, etc. It is counted.”
Whether you voted with a black pen or marker in Minnesota, your ballot was able to be counted.