The chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission conceded Tuesday that nearly 1,000 voters received the wrong ballots during early voting for state and federal primary races in the Aug. 2 elections. But voters who received the wrong ballots won’t get to vote again with the right ballots, said commission chairman Robert Meyers. Meyers, a Republican, publicly thanked the Democratic nominee for a Shelby County Commission seat, Steve Ross, for identifying the glitch that caused the problem. Saying that the information Ross released on his popular progressive blog Monday was “a correct report,” Meyers at a late afternoon news conference Tuesday tried to assure voters that proper “corrective action” had been taken. The mistakes appear to be related to a late rush by the Election Commission to update voter files based on redistricting in state and federal races. The votes that were cast for the wrong race will still count, and those voters will not get a chance to cast ballots in the correct race, Meyers said, citing the one-man, one-vote principle. The wrong ballots appear to be dispersed across several races, with the vast majority in state House contests.
Early voting continues through Saturday at satellite locations throughout the county. Voters can cast ballots at any satellite location during early voting but those who wait until Aug. 2 election day must report to their assigned precincts. Meyers urged citizens to closely inspect their ballots and ask poll workers if they have any doubt about their accuracy. Meyers said the best place to receive updated information on proper voting districts is through the state’s division of elections website. “We’re asking the voters to be the last check in the chain of command,” Meyers said.
Full Article: 1,000 ballots incorrect, but still count, Shelby County election official says » The Commercial Appeal.