Some registered Maryland voters flooded elections officials with questions after receiving sample election ballot booklets with their correct address but a stranger’s names on the mailing label.
Montgomery County Board of Elections quickly noticed all the calls were coming from registered voters in Congressional District 8 whose last names begin with “A,” spokesperson Gilberto Zelaya said. Some whose last names begin with “B” were affected as well.
Spanish versions also contained incorrect early voting dates.
Conscious of the weight of voters’ concerns going into the November presidential election, officials decided to reprint all of the more than 687,000 informational booklets.
“This is a sample ballot informational booklet, this is not the official ballot that you will vote on Election Day,” Zelaya said. “This is for you to do your research, mark it up, make notes, doodle on it. This is just for your prep.”
The Board of Elections said it is grateful to those who noticed the error and reported it. The new sample ballot booklets should arrive in voters’ mailboxes in early October.
