Ink For Filling Out Ballots?

[inkstainedruth]

So, I finally got my mail in ballot yesterday (I think -- I need to call the borough or the county Board of Elections to make sure it's the CORRECT ballot, after the screwup with the direct-mail company that mis-printed something like 29,000 (!) of them ).

Naturally, I want my vote to count -- especially this year. Normally I would vote in person, but, well, let's face it -- 2020 has been ANYTHING BUT normal.... (You can joke about "murder hornets weren't on my bingo card..." all you want, but this isn't a joke.) The directions say to only use "a blue or black ink pen". But clearly they mean ballpoint ink. So. Looking for good suggestion for FP inks that will register on an optical scanner that will meet their strictures another one of which is to stay within the ovals -- so nothing that will feather on what I'm guessing might be sub-optimal paper. There's a part of me going "Well, Noodler's Heart of Darkness" would certainly fit the bill..." but another part of me going "I want my vote to express ME!" and keep wondering if Noodler's Baltimore Canyon Blue would be too bright and obnoxious a blue. I also keep wondering whether they would accept a blue-black, like Noodler's 54th Massachusetts or Sailor Souboku. Or whether Noodler's Kung Te Cheng (which my old bank didn't blink twice over on checks) would be considered "blue" enough (I have used KTC to sign in at my polling station in the past). Unfortunately I don't remember what I used for the primary ballot at this point.

I will probably try calling the Board of Elections sometime in the upcoming week -- or even going downtown in person to show them ink samples to see what might be considered acceptable (tomorrow gets iffy because my husband and I both have ENT appointments, and the ENT's office wants us there at least 15 minutes early to do paperwork, and, presumably for temperature checks). I had tried calling last week over the missing ballot, and after being 33rd in line (!) on the phone got a chance to schedule a callback... which didn't ever happen. I've since gotten an apology by email from the Board's Communications Director, but that was sort of too little, too late (part of the reason for the call was that the tracking website seemed to be down -- probably overloaded by everyone ELSE going "Where's my ballot?" after seeing the same news report about the misprinted ballots).

So. Looking for a blue (or blue-black) that is relatively water resistant, dark enough to be legible when scanned optically, and is relatively water resistant and doesn't feather (so don't bother suggesting Noodler's Bay State Blue). Of course I could still jut use Heart of Darkness, or possibly vintage Skrip or Quink Permanent Royal Blue; I'm thinking that IG inks might not serve here. Also discounting Noodler's El Lawrence -- banking is one thing, government is something else. Discounting light blues in general, and turquoise/cerulean blues; also (obviously, discounting shimmer inks and sheening inks.

Current possibles (all of which I have to hand)

Noodler's Heart of Darkness -- certainly fits the requirements, but is, well, black.

Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black -- almost as good, but ditto: black.

(possible) Noodler's 54th Massachusetts -- waterproof, but not sure they'll accept blue-black.

(possible) Sailor Souboku -- ditto in all respects to 54th MA.

(possible) Noodler's Baltimore Canyon Blue -- pretty waterproof but might be too light/bright.

(possible) modern Skrip Blue-Black -- not sure of its water resistance.

(possible) Edelstein Tanzanite -- may not be water resistant, but less teal leaning that some blue-blacks.

(possible) J Herbin Bleu des Profondeurs -- may not be water resistant.

(possible) vintage Skrip Blue-Black -- may be too dark but also too faded

(possible) vintage Quink Permanent Royal Blue -- may be too dark/not blue enough.

(possible) Diamine Denim, Tudor Blue or Oxford Blue -- may be too teal and may not be water resistant enough.

(remotely possible) Diamine Eclipse and 1864 Blue Black, and Ferris Wheel Press Tanzanite sky -- may be TOO dark without being black, and also don't know if they're water resistant enough.

I'm sure there are others. Noodler's Manhattan Blue (at least my bottle of it) feathers and bleeds through too much.

Any other inks out there that I could get on relatively short notice? Local B&M stores in the Pittsburgh area carry some inks (Pellikan, Sheaffer, Iroshizuku, and [sometimes] Noodler's).

Thanks in advance.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for typos

Edited October 19, 2020 by inkstainedruth

[vicpen123]

This comment if from 10,000 miles away in the land of Oz.

 

I know you feel that you must make an attempt at representing your values, but it is after all only a vote and if a ballpoint fixes the problem, why not?

 

Here in Oz we vote with pencils on paper ballots mostly.

[brokenclay]

Why risk your ballot with something unusual? I used a ballpoint pen.

[Intensity]

I would also just use a safe black ballpoint or simple black fel-tip marker pen of the sort used at my local voting booths. Not a time to be individual but rather time to play safely and use something that will record properly.

[silverlifter]

I used my Kaweco AL Sport with R&K Dokumentus Dunkleblau. Worked great!

[kestrel]

I used Bad Belted Kingfisher with no problem. My wife used Perle Noire and had awful bleed through but (sit down before reading this) our intelligently designed Florida ballot was arranged so the bleed through didn't affect the scanning. Both ballots have been tabulated and counted.

 

If you use a fountain pen try making a mark where it doesn't matter so you can see if the ink bleeds through.

 

Or you could just go over to the dark side and use a ballpoint or even a (gasp) Sharpie.

[goodpens]

Why risk your ballot with something unusual? I used a ballpoint pen.

+1

All the fun inks can be saved for literally everything else.

Now is the time to not introduce any additional variables.

[Chouffleur]

If you're voting with me, some flavor of black registrar's ink.

 

If you're voting against me, lemon juice.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Chouffleur

[ENewton]

I came close to using Pilot Black--I have a cartridge that came with a Metropolitan--but finally decided it would be safest to use a ballpoint pen.

[BrassRatt]

Montblanc Permanent Blue has been mentioned in a similar context. I cannot vouch for this ink, yet.

 

I use Heart of Darkness for ballots.

 

But you have provoked me to consider Kung Te-Cheng this time. If some ballot-counter objects that it's "not blue nor black" we're in worse trouble than ink selection can much affect, and they would find some other spurious excuse to reject my ballot anyway.

 

I'm confident that the optical/mechanical scanning devices would have no trouble with it, nor with pale blues or greens or browns; only humans might, and only those bent on nefarious ends.

[corniche]

Hi all,

 

I used Noodlers Bulletproof Black. I figure it's the most tamper-proof ink I own - plus its basic black - so it should not be a problem for any OCR reader; no matter how antiquated it may be.

 

The only thing is, you have to carefully daub it with a Kleenex to prevent smudging, because it pools a lot on the plastic coated ballot paper - puts me in mind of the old IBM punch cards.

 

- Sean

[inkstainedruth]

If you're voting with me, some flavor of black registrar's ink.

 

If you're voting against me, lemon juice.

If I'm voting against you, I'll use Noodler's Blue Ghost!

@ corniche -- I suspect it will end up that, like BrassRatt, I may use Heart of Darkness. I think it's a little better behaved than Noodler's Black, simply because it dries faster and is less smudgy (the problem with the Noodler's "bulletproof" inks is that only the ink in direct proximity to the paper reacts to the cellulose *in* the paper).

@ BrassRatt -- part of the reason I have considered KTC is because it's pretty much EVERYTHING proof. And, as I said in another thread yesterday (talking about bad paper for checks), my old bank didn't blink an eye when I used it for signing checks, even though it wasn't technically blue, but rather indigo with purple undertones -- any more than they did when I signed checks with Noodler's El Lawrence; but since El Lawrence clearly *isn't* black, I don't want to take any chances. Although that's such a, well, subversive ink that I was completely amused by the bank not complaining about it not actually being black.... The bank that bought them out hasn't complained about it, 54th MA, KTC or Souboku -- and they're better about getting checks processed so that it's easier to balance the checkbook -- most of the checks have cleared by the time the statement is printed (although they list the electronic stuff separately from the ones they get electroncally, which confused the heck out of my husband the first time I DID have problems balancing the checkbook (which usually involves math or transcription errors in the register).

Oh, I also forgot that I currently have a pen inked up with Diamine Guitar Series Pelham Blue, but not remembering offhand how water-resistant that is, either....

I also have a pen inked up with Robert Oster GoGo, at the moment. On the cheap, absorbent Piccadilly sketchbook paper I use for testing inks, it's a medium slightly blue-leaning purple. But I think either it or Noodler's Baltimore Canyon got used on some political flyers (going back in the mail as "Refused- Return to Sender" which means that the senders have to pay the postage a second time -- ain't I a stinker? ) and on the slick cardstock I can't tell because whatever the ink was is DEFINITELY looking more blue now that it's dry....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Dimy]

A small opinion from my side, first I agree with opinions of intensity, brokenclay and goodpens, its better to play safe then be individual in these cases....but there is nothing wrong with being a bit creative (some are, I am not for such cases, and its fine to be one).

 

Now current optical sensors are able to read pretty much any ink color as long as its dark "enough" and some are even capable of differentiating small errors in OMR sheets. Main consideration should be inks permanent nature and bleed and feathering nature, followed by dark color, in my opinion.

 

Old scanners were only capable of differentiating particles which reflected light back (thus use of pencils which have graphite acting as reflector for light allowing sensor to capture the marks and even today in many places). This had many issues like no margin for error (one more pencil spot and that is counted) plus issue of non permanent nature of pencil, etc. Current equipments do not pose such issues, bleed might become issue as some scanners read both sides and high bleeding might cause issues so avoid them same problem with feathering but less of an issue as error margin is present in many machines today.

 

If one wants to be little creative I suggest inks that you are sure will not have issue and are permanent (document inks, bulletproof inks or such would work well) and as sean pointed out I would too suggest a black ink for this event (better to play safe in this case).

 

That said I still personally suggest ball pen as they are safest bet of all and are recommended for several reasons.

 

PS good luck and stay safe out there.

[Monophoto]

In the past, when we had to sign a physical book when voting in person (today, we have to sign on a tablet), I used Noodler's Bulletproof Black (which I dilute a bit with water so that it's not as intense). I also used that to mark the ballot when I voted by mail in the primary this spring.

 

Wife and I have absentee ballots that we intend to prepare as a backup if our primary plan fails. But our intention is actually to vote in person at the board of elections office during the early voting period (next week).

 

As OP said, this one is important - we've got to vote, and also make sure that our votes count.

[Parker51]

I used a Parker Big Red Pen with a Parker Black Rollerball cartridge.

 

A good compromise I thought.

[corniche]

I used a Parker Big Red Pen with a Parker Black Rollerball cartridge.

 

A good compromise I thought.

Speaking of pens; I was tempted to use a Sharpie, but used a Preppy felt tip ED instead.

 

 

- Sean

[wallylynn]

The only thing is, you have to carefully daub it with a Kleenex to prevent smudging, because it pools a lot on the plastic coated ballot paper - puts me in mind of the old IBM punch cards.

 

- Sean

I second this and everyone else. This is not the time for experiments. Someone might run an analysis to determine 'this fountain pen ballot is ruths'. Nothing bluer than BSB but that might also burn out the optical sensor and lead to arrest for election tampering.

 

Seriously, no smudge, no bleed. Fill the dots neatly.

[Barkingpig]

This is the most important election I voted in since I began voting 50 years ago & I was quite happy to use a BLACK BALLPOINT pen to fill my ballot in before returning it (in person) to my Courthouse to place in the official ballot box inside (Place completed ballots HERE.)

 

I love using my pens & ink & have enjoyed great pleasure from their acquisition & use. Their use is for my pleasure & this vote was so much more important to me I had no thought of compromising my vote by use of them instead of the intended ballpoint pen for which I knew the ballot was designed.

 

Pens are after all tools & this was a time so very important to me I wanted to use the tool best designed to accomplish my goal.

[corniche]

This is the most important election I voted in since I began voting 50 years ago & I was quite happy to use a BLACK BALLPOINT pen to fill my ballot in before returning it (in person) to my Courthouse to place in the official ballot box inside (Place completed ballots HERE.)

 

I love using my pens & ink & have enjoyed great pleasure from their acquisition & use. Their use is for my pleasure & this vote was so much more important to me I had no thought of compromising my vote by use of them instead of the intended ballpoint pen for which I knew the ballot was designed.

 

Pens are after all tools & this was a time so very important to me I wanted to use the tool best designed to accomplish my goal.

This is why I used a felt tip with bulletproof black ink - nothing fills in a hole as thoroughly and completely as a felt tip marker.

 

Black Sharpies are a great choice if you don't have any Preppy felt-tips.

 

 

- Sean

 

PS: Kudos for voting and delivering by hand. My ballot is filled out and I plan to drop it off tomorrow morning.

[Anne-Sophie]

If the paper might bleed and it is raining. A ballpoint is always the best bet.