Upper Mattaponi Tribe Law Library
Upper Mattaponi Tribal Code of Law

110 Ballots.

(A) The Election Commission shall conduct elections utilizing secret written ballots. The names of the candidates shall be listed alphabetically by last name on the ballot.

(B) The Election Commission shall mail official ballots to all citizens of the Tribe listed on the final list of eligible voters. Such ballots should include a specially colored envelope for return. The Election Commission shall maintain a post office box solely used for the receipt of ballots returned by U.S. mail and instruct voters that they should return ballots by U.S. mail to such address. The Election Commission shall retrieve returned ballots from the post office box on election day before 10:00 a.m.

(C) A citizen shall have the right to cast one vote for each available office, with the exception of non-at large Council Representatives where a citizen shall have the right to cast votes up to the number of non-at-large seats available.

(D) With the exception of in-person voting on election day, all ballots returned to the Election Commission shall be notarized by a licensed notary.

(E) A citizen may return an official ballot to the Election Commission by US mail, by other mail delivery service, or by hand-delivery; provided, that the Election Commission must receive a completed ballot by 5:00 pm on the day before the election. A citizen may also vote in-person at the polling site on election day whether or not the citizen received a ballot by mail; provided, that the Election Commission shall ensure that no citizen is permitted to vote more than once.

(F) A citizen may request a ballot from the Election Commission at any time prior to the deadline for the return of ballots.

(G) Write-in ballots shall be prohibited.

(H) Ballots received at the Tribal Office, whether by mailing to the wrong address, other delivery service, or hand-delivery, shall be marked with a received date and time. The ballots shall then be deposited in a secured ballot box at the Tribal Office that can only be opened by the use of three locks, with each Election Commission holding a key for one lock. The Election Commission shall retrieve returned ballots from the secured ballot box on election day before 10:00 a.m.

(I) The Election Commission shall reject any returned ballot that does not comply with the terms of this Section. In rejecting a ballot, the Election Commission shall mark the ballot as "REJECTED" and attach a statement memorializing the reason for rejection.