In a recent government meeting, officials provided an update on the ongoing election process, revealing key statistics and addressing concerns regarding ballot distribution. As of the meeting, there are 181,719 registered voters in the area, with 81,482 identifying as Democratic and 72,393 as Republican. The department has issued over 40,000 mail ballot applications, with 39,567 marked as sent and 15,142 returned.
Officials praised the dedication of their staff, who have been working extensive hours to ensure the election's integrity and security. However, they acknowledged a significant issue involving ballot mailings from Election IQ, where 296 voters received duplicate mailings—one containing their voting materials and another with someone else's. This overlap raised concerns about potential voting irregularities.
The election office acted swiftly upon discovering the issue late Friday afternoon, collaborating with Election IQ to assess the scope of the problem. They confirmed that all affected voters received their ballots and have implemented measures to prevent any possibility of double voting. The sorting process for mail ballots was temporarily halted to address the situation, but has since resumed with enhanced protocols to ensure accurate processing.
Officials assured the public that a dedicated team is manually inspecting ballots to verify voter information, ensuring that no one can vote twice. The system in place is designed to flag any attempts at duplicate voting, providing an additional layer of security.
The meeting concluded with officials expressing gratitude for the public's patience and understanding during this challenging period, emphasizing their commitment to a fair and secure election process.