Winnebago County Clerk Margie Mullins wants compensation from the company that created oversized ballots that delayed Tuesday’s election results. She said today she’s gathering data on the extra costs her office incurred when 36 percent of 23,400 ballots cast were too big to fit through counting machines. The error, which amounted to one-sixteenth-inch of extra paper, caused the county to reprint and remake 8,564 ballots from its stockpiled inventory. “I don’t feel that we should pay for any of these ballots from Tuesday’s election, and I want my inventory reimbursed,” Mullins said. “I have a lot of extra staff time and people who came from the city election board of commissioners and other places who I feel should be compensated.”
The county paid $14,300 for 65,000 ballots, at 22 cents a ballot, Mullins said.
She said it will take a few days to calculate how much additional money and other resources were spent addressing the problem. Then she wants to meet with ABS Graphics, a suburban Chicago company Mullins said she has worked with for 20 years, which accepted blame for the oversized ballots.
Mullins may not be the only one asking for payback. About a quarter of Illinois’ 102 counties had similar problems.
Full Article: Winnebago County wants compensation from ballot company – Rockford, IL – Rockford Register Star.