Maryland mail-in ballots replaced after vendor error

Maryland election officials are sending replacement primary ballots to more than 565,000 mail-in voters after a vendor error caused some residents to receive forms for the wrong political party, the state said.

The Maryland State Board of Elections said the problem affected ballots mailed before May 14. Rather than limit the fix to voters who reported a wrong ballot, the state said it would resend ballots to everyone who had requested one as of Thursday, according to WBAL Baltimore News. The primary is scheduled for June 23.

Jared DeMarinis, Maryland’s elections administrator, said the wider replacement order was meant to protect voter confidence after officials traced the problem to the state’s ballot vendor.

“With over 500,000 voters requesting mail-in ballots, we want to eliminate any doubt in its integrity or accuracy.”
Jared DeMarinis, Maryland elections administrator

The mistake has a direct effect on voters. A party-primary ballot controls which contests and candidates appear on the form. If a voter receives the wrong party’s ballot, that voter may be unable to cast the primary choices requested through the mail-ballot process.

Linda Kerr, a Maryland voter who received the wrong ballot, told WBAL-TV she could not understand how the error happened.

“I just don’t know how they could make such a mistake,”
Linda Kerr, Maryland voter

The error comes as Maryland is already in its mail-voting period. Voters who requested mail ballots will have to look for a corrected packet and follow state instructions on which ballot to return. The reset covers ballots mailed before the replacement order.

Statewide replacement plan

The board’s decision turns a limited vendor mistake into a statewide mail-ballot correction. Officials said a narrower fix could leave uncertainty over which voters had received improper ballots. With more than half a million mail-in ballot requests for the primary, the state chose to replace the full batch.

Election offices now face a tight calendar. Replacement ballots must be printed, mailed, received by voters and returned in time for the June 23 primary. In-person early voting begins June 11 and runs through June 18, according to WTOP News, giving local officials another track of voter contact while the mail-ballot correction is under way.

The state board said voters should use the corrected ballot once it arrives. That guidance leaves election officials and local boards to explain the replacement process, especially to residents who may have already opened or returned an earlier packet. A single replacement packet also gives officials one public message to repeat.

DeMarinis said the agency was answering questions from voters as corrected ballots went out.

“Please be assured that we are actively answering phones and responding to emails and will remain transparent as we navigate through this situation.”
Jared DeMarinis, Maryland elections administrator

Election-administration errors can draw attention beyond the affected state because ballot access, mail voting and party-primary rules are now part of a national political fight. Maryland officials have described this case as an operational vendor error. Their remedy is procedural: replace the universe of ballots tied to the mistake before votes are cast.

The next measure is practical. Replacement ballots must reach voters with enough time for them to mark and return the correct forms before the June 23 primary, while county election offices field calls from residents who may have received two ballot packets or noticed the error only after opening the first one.