SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – You ask, we answer! Viewer Question: Does it matter what type of pen I use to fill out my mail-in ballot? This was a question that came up during the 2020, election ...

Some posts say using a Sharpie on your ballot will invalidate your vote. But many ballot tabulator manufacturers actually recommend Sharpies over regular pens.

A persistent rumor about the use of Sharpie markers on voting ballots surfaced again in the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

They said the pens "are recommended by the manufacturer because they provide the fastest-drying ink." In Pennsylvania, elections officials in Montgomery County supply Sharpie pens to all precincts.

Some posts say using a Sharpie on your ballot will invalidate your vote. But many ballot tabulator manufacturers actually recommend Sharpies over regular pens.

Some posts say using a Sharpie on your ballot will invalidate your vote. But many ballot tabulator manufacturers actually recommend Sharpies over regular pens.

Some posts say using a Sharpie on your ballot will invalidate your vote. But many ballot tabulator manufacturers actually recommend Sharpies over regular pens.

Some posts say using a Sharpie on your ballot will invalidate your vote. But many ballot tabulator manufacturers actually recommend Sharpies over regular pens.