Provisional ballots are not counted on election night, but must first go through a qualification process to determine whether or not the voter was eligible 1) to vote at all, and 2) to vote in all races on the ballot that was cast. . . . Observing this process can increase the chances that it is conducted fairly, in part by providing a deterrent to biased decision-making.
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA)
Provisional ballot litigation by state
General election monitoring materials for reference (not specifically about monitoring provisional and absentee ballot procedures:
What Can Monitoring Accomplish?
Black Box Voting Tool Kit 2008
Black Box Voting Tool Kit 2006 Module: Monitor the Counting
Last updated 11/05/08
prepared by Emily Levy for NoMoreStolenElections.org
Originally posted 11/05/08