Honestly, I’m surprised. Pencils are way better than pens. If they provide you a pen, how do you know it’s not invisible ink that will [fade in an hour](https://www.spysite.com/products/magic-vanishing-ink-disappearing-ink-pen), leaving your ballot blank? You can’t know that. Meanwhile, a pencil mark can never be fully erased. It’s far safer.
They aren't even trying to hide it anymore.