Absentee Voters in Franklin County: Check before returning your Voted Ballot
Due to a malfunctioning mail sort machine, some voters in Franklin County received incorrect ballots.
UPDATE 10/10: The Franklin County Board of Elections has published a list of the 49,669 voters who will receive replacement ballots. Click HERE to download and then search the list. Use the search box in the upper right-hand corner. If you find your name, you will be receiving a new ballot within the next few days.
Please note: Not all of the people on the “FCBOE_WRONGBALLOTS” list actually received an incorrect ballot. The list is buffered to make sure every incorrect ballot was captured. So, while you can use the method described below to find out if your ballot is correct — some people with correct ballots will still find themselves on the “wrong ballots” list and will be receiving a replacement.
If you have not yet returned your absentee ballot, check to see if you are on the list. If you find your name, set that first ballot aside. Wait to receive the second ballot, then vote and return that one.
If you have already returned your ballot and then receive another, go ahead and vote and return the second ballot. Only the second ballot will count.
All voters, regardless of whether they applied for an absentee ballot or not, or received the correct or incorrect ballot, will be allowed to vote early in person at the Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Rd, during early vote hours. This should be a regular (not provisional) ballot.
Continue reading to see how to check if you received a correct or incorrect absentee ballot.
(a) Find your AB Style number on the envelope with your name printed on it that you received with your ballot in the mail (the circled number in the photo on the left). That is the correct AB Style number for you!
(b) Find the AB Style number on the absentee ballot itself. It is located on the bottom right hand corner on the first page of the form (see the photo on the right).
- Correct Ballot: If the numbers are the same, you received the correct absentee ballot and are ready to vote! You can return your ballot by mail or to the drop box at 1700 Morse Rd.
- Incorrect ballot: If the number are different (like in these photos), you need to contact the BoE to let them know you received the wrong form, and wait for the new forms to arrive in the mail to vote (destroy the incorrect form please). You can call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE to report your problem.
- If you already returned your ballot, do not worry. If it was correct, that ballot will count. If it was incorrect, you will receive a new ballot in the mail with an explanation. You can go ahead and vote that replacement ballot.
Check back here for updates. Read a statement here from the Franklin County Board of Elections.