Printer error made 3 counties’ mail-in ballots unscannable

MOFFAT COUNTY, Colo. — A printer vendor error made some ballots in Moffat, Las Animas and Huerfano counties unscannable, county clerks confirmed to 9NEWS Tuesday. 

According to a news release, Moffat County Clerk and Recorder Stacy Morgan was made aware of the issue Wednesday. Huerfano County posted about the issue on their Facebook page Monday, and Las Animas County told 9NEWS they believe they discovered the issue Friday. 

The error, which cut off the “timing marks” at the bottom of the ballot, prevents every mail ballot from being scanned for tabulation. Timing marks are black lines on the edge of ballot that inform the tabulator of the ballot style in order to count the ballot, according to the release from Moffat County. 

All three counties used the same vendor, Fort Orange Press, to print their ballots. 

Moffat County posted a notice notifying the public of the issue. 

“As soon as we were aware of this printer error, we began working diligently to address this issue,” Morgan said. “Moffat County did not ask for this, and I have demanded that the vendor fully reimburse Moffat County and our taxpayers for all printing, staff, and supply costs resulting from their error, to ensure that they make Moffat County citizens whole. Our community’s bipartisan election judges, and the Moffat County election team are going to work tirelessly to ensure this is corrected for our voters.” 

Morgan said the error will not impact votes being properly counted. To ensure that voters’ selections are properly counted, the counties will have bipartisan teams of election judges follow the ballot duplication process outlined in Colorado Election Rule 18.4. 

In their release, Moffat County assured voters the process is used during every election to ensure ballots that have been damaged or are otherwise unscannable can be counted. 

Voters also have the option to vote in person at the Voter Service and Polling Center at the Moffat County Courthouse at 1198 W. Victory Way, Suite 105, in Craig,. For more details, Morgan said voters should visit the county’s elections website. 

Las Animas County Clerk and Recorder Kerrie Apple told 9NEWS the only ballots affected were the ones mailed from the vendor directly. The county is still trying to determine how many ballots were affected. 

Apple recommends that anyone who has a mail ballot but hasn’t yet voted, come in to vote in person, because they know that ballot is printed correctly. An in-person voter service and polling center is open now at the county courthouse at 200 E. First Street Rm. 206 in Trinidad. Two additional voter service and polling centers will be open in Trinidad on Election Day, Nov. 5. 

Apple said 3,400 completed ballots have been returned so far, but they don’t know yet how many of those had the printing issue.

According to data from the Colorado Secretary of State, as of September, there were 10,333 active registered voters in Las Animas County, 8,726 in Moffat County, and 5,537 in Huerfano County. 

Ballot duplication is open to observation by election watchers appointed by political parties and candidates. 

Bipartisan teams of election judges will duplicate every voter’s choices from their original, returned ballot onto a new, blank ballot with proper timing marks to ensure it can be properly scanned and counted. 

From there, the ballot is reviewed twice and audited a third time as batches are processed. 

Duplication takes place in a secure area with 24/7 video surveillance. The original submitted ballot will be audited if chosen during the state’s risk limiting audits. The risk-limiting audit takes place after voting is complete, but before the election is certified.

The Moffat County Clerk and Recorder said they need additional election judges to help with the duplication process. They said voters willing to work are encouraged to sign up to assist as election judges and will be paid $15 per hour. Moffat County said additional election judges are needed from now through Election Day until the ballots are processed.