Erroneous email tells Lehigh County residents who already voted their ballots are on their way
Lehigh County sent out an email Tuesday informing voters that their mail-in ballots would soon be on their way. The only problem? Many of those voters already received and returned their ballots.
County officials acknowledged the error on social media Tuesday evening and instructed voters who already received their ballot to disregard the email. The posts attributed the mistake to overlapping dates but did not provide any further details.
It was not clear how many people received the email, or how many of those voters already cast their ballot. A county spokeswoman did not respond to questions about the snafu Tuesday evening.
The message appeared to be a typical form letter giving voters an update on their ballot.
“Your ballot is almost ready, and it’’’’s being prepared for mailing. If you do not receive your ballot within 7 days, please contact your county election office,” the email read. “If you have questions concerning your ballot, please contact LEHIGH County at (610) 782-3194.”
Counties have been scrambling to get ballots out in time for the coming presidential election, and several counties have encountered serious problems. While Lehigh County’s erroneous email may not inspire confidence, it’s nowhere near the problem
Allegheny County encountered last week. About 29,000 voters in the Pittsburgh area received the wrong mail-in ballot, and officials have scrambled to get the correct ones into those voters’ hands.
Meanwhile, voters across the country have grown anxious about their mail-in ballots. Many residents are seeing longer than normal delivery times due to cuts at the U.S. Postal Service. Many counties, including Lehigh and Northampton, have set up drop boxes to make it easier for voters to turn in their ballots without relying on the postal
service.
The incident could mean more telephone calls to the Lehigh County’s election office, which like others around the state has been overwhelmed by voters asking questions.
“The phones don’t stop ringing,” Tim Benyo, chief clerk for Lehigh County elections, told Associated Press for a recent story about voter frustration. “They ring through the night and on weekends.”