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Blunt investigating whether banks are charging to notarize ballots

Secretary of State Matt Blunt's office is investigating allegations that banks are charging to notarize absentee ballots, a violation of state law.

Blunt's spokesman Spence Jackson says that if the reports are accurate notaries are violating a state statute which prohibits charging to notarize absentee ballots.

If Blunt's office finds that this was more than a simple clerical mistake the notaries involved could lose their commissions.

However, according to Jackson, there is a strong possibility that it was not done deliberately.

BITE

Jackson encourages anyone who was asked to pay a fee to obtain notarization to call the Secretary of State's office at 573-751-2783.

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