The 24,000 Vote-By-Mail ballots recently distributed to are error-free despite a wrong date in the instructions, Atlantic County Clerk Joe Giralo assures residents.
The ballots may be used and submitted by 8 p.m. Election Day, which is Nov. 5 despite the instruction card including last year's date two days later.
The error on the fuchsia-colored instruction card included with the ballots was discovered but does not affect or compromise the ballot, Giralo said.
“This is an unfortunate error that was discovered after the Vote-By-Mail ballots were mailed. Evidently the instruction cards from last year was inserted in the envelope with this year’s ballots,” Giralo said. “We are investigating how this mistake occurred.”
The date should be Nov. 5.The county clerk explained that his office contracts with an outside commercial printer for the printing and mailing of the ballots. Giralo said his office has been using this printer for at least 15 years.
“All the files we provided to the printer were correct and were reviewed by multiple staff,” Giralo said. “There is no problem with the Vote-By-Mail ballots, only the instruction cards. Vote-By-Mail ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. All drop boxes will be locked at that time.”
County Executive Dennis Levinson said that, while this human error is unfortunate, it is avoidable, as he does not believe there is a need for early voting or voting by mail.
“These efforts to expand voting opportunities are rife for abuse and fraud, extremely costly and unnecessary," he said. "We should have one Election Day to ensure the integrity of our processes. We ‘fixed’ what wasn’t broken with our voting system.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Michael Suleiman called for the county clerk to send a corrective letter or postcard to voters, clarifying the date.
"This sloppy, unnecessary error has the potential to confuse the over 23,000 voters in Atlantic County who have signed up to receive a mail-in ballot," Suleiman said. "While those of us in the political bubble know that Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, we cannot assume that everyday Atlantic County residents do. This is especially important since mail-in ballots need to be postmarked on or before Election Day in order to be counted."
He called it "yet another embarrassing example of election-related incompetence in Atlantic County that makes us all look bad."
"Had this happened under a Democratic county clerk, the other side would be apoplectic right now," Suleiman alleged. "Instead, Republicans are using their error as a reason to disparage Vote by Mail and early voting, which is unconscionable. We should be working in a bipartisan fashion to increase voter turnout, not discourage it. The County Clerk needs to do the right thing and send out a corrective mailing ASAP."
Anyone who has questions about the Vote-By-Mail ballot may call the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office at 609-625-4011.
