Incorrect return envelopes sent to hundreds of Montgomery County absentee voters

Early and absentee voting are now occurring for the Ohio primary election, which is March 19, 2024. MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

Early and absentee voting are now occurring for the Ohio primary election, which is March 19, 2024. MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

A vendor error sent an estimated 200 to 300 Montgomery County absentee voters ballots that have return envelopes routing the ballots to the wrong county board of elections office for the March 19 primary election, according to Jeff Rezabek, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

He said the board was notified over the weekend of the mistake and is now trying to identify and notify any local voters who got the wrong return envelopes, which are addressed to the Clermont County Board of Elections.

He said the ballots that have been sent out are all correct, but people may not notice that the return envelopes have the Clermont County address.

People can get a correct return envelope by contacting the board at (937) 225-5656 or visiting the office in the Montgomery County Administration Building, 451 W Third St, Dayton, OH 45422.

Rezabek said voters can also mark out the incorrect address on the envelope and write the correct Montgomery County one on the envelope and the ballot will be accepted.

Voters can track the status of their absentee ballot to see if it has been received using the Ohio Secretary of State’s Track Your Ballot website.

The Clermont County board has been alerted and agreed to overnight the ballots to Montgomery County, said Kenny Henning, regional liaison for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

Last year the state legislature shortened the amount of time that ballots postmarked by election day can be received at the board office and still be counted. Now it is only 4 days, so voters should take extra care that their ballot is mailed to the correct office on time and received by March 23, 2024.

Follow @LynnHulseyDDN on Facebook, Instagram and X.

About the Author