This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/voters-again-given-wrong-ballots-in-competitive-stafford-county/2019/11/05/333c1af6-ff76-11e9-8501-2a7123a38c58_story.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Voters again given wrong ballots in competitive Stafford County | Voters again given wrong ballots in competitive Stafford County |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Virginia voters turned out steadily Tuesday to vote for legislative and local candidates under a new and temporary map designed to address racial discrimination in the House of Delegates. An hour after the polls closed, there was a problem with the state website reporting the tally of ballots and elections officials said they were working to fix it. | |
| Commissioner of Elections Chris Piper described the problem as “an issue with the display... not at all security-related.”During the day, a few issues were reported across the state. In competitive Stafford County, some voters were given the wrong ballots, a problem that could lead to legal challenges in close races. | |
| Voters in six Stafford precincts were given the wrong ballots early Tuesday, Piper told reporters. The issue was fixed within the first hour of voting, according to Piper. But any votes cast in the wrong district will count in those races, as they did in 2017. | |
| In 2017, one race involved in similar ballot mix-ups around Fredericksburg was so close it ended in a recount; Democrats tried unsuccessfully to block Republican Robert Thomas from taking office. | In 2017, one race involved in similar ballot mix-ups around Fredericksburg was so close it ended in a recount; Democrats tried unsuccessfully to block Republican Robert Thomas from taking office. |
| The Democratic candidate in that race, Joshua Cole, is now running against Republican Paul Milde III, who beat Thomas in a primary earlier this year. Milde campaign manager Dustin Curtis said they are “deeply disturbed by the ballot irregularities” but are “continuing to gather facts before considering legal options.” | The Democratic candidate in that race, Joshua Cole, is now running against Republican Paul Milde III, who beat Thomas in a primary earlier this year. Milde campaign manager Dustin Curtis said they are “deeply disturbed by the ballot irregularities” but are “continuing to gather facts before considering legal options.” |
| The mistake also impacted voters in two less competitive districts. Several districts in the area divide precincts, and voters have had issues getting the right ballots for years. | The mistake also impacted voters in two less competitive districts. Several districts in the area divide precincts, and voters have had issues getting the right ballots for years. |
| In Virginia, the balance of power in state government is at stake | In Virginia, the balance of power in state government is at stake |
| All 140 seats in the General Assembly were on the ballot, and voters also weighed in on local races for county supervisor and prosecutor seats. | |
| For a year with no statewide contest on the ballot, turnout appeared high in contested areas across the state. By 5 p.m. more than a quarter of registered voters in Fairfax and Virginia Beach and about a third of voters in Loudoun and Chesterfield had come to the polls. | |
| Aside from the problem in Stafford, issues at polling places across the state were minimal, according to Piper. | |
| Voters at several Prince William County polling places told reporters they had gotten ballots misprinted with the same choices on both sides. A local election official said the issue was “being handled” but could not say whether or not those ballots would be counted. | Voters at several Prince William County polling places told reporters they had gotten ballots misprinted with the same choices on both sides. A local election official said the issue was “being handled” but could not say whether or not those ballots would be counted. |
| Jenny Meyer said she and her husband tried to vote around 11:10 a.m. at Rippon Middle School in Prince William and could not because of the mistake. | Jenny Meyer said she and her husband tried to vote around 11:10 a.m. at Rippon Middle School in Prince William and could not because of the mistake. |
| About a dozen people were waiting around, Meyer said, hoping to be able to vote. She was told by poll workers that the machines rejected the defective ballots and that they should wait for new ones to arrive. But after an hour, she and her husband gave up and left. | About a dozen people were waiting around, Meyer said, hoping to be able to vote. She was told by poll workers that the machines rejected the defective ballots and that they should wait for new ones to arrive. But after an hour, she and her husband gave up and left. |
| “I enjoy voting, it’s a big deal for me, so I’m a little upset — shocked, really,” Meyer said. | “I enjoy voting, it’s a big deal for me, so I’m a little upset — shocked, really,” Meyer said. |
| She was able to vote later in the afternoon; a poll worker told her the correct ballots arrived at the precinct around 1:30 p.m. She was told about three dozen people left Rippon Middle School without voting although most returned later. | She was able to vote later in the afternoon; a poll worker told her the correct ballots arrived at the precinct around 1:30 p.m. She was told about three dozen people left Rippon Middle School without voting although most returned later. |
| One Richmond precinct ran out of ballots early in the morning, due to a mix-up in population counts. The issue was resolved within 15 minutes of notification, registrar J. Kirk Showalter said, and affected only voters in the 9th Senate district, not the competitive 10th Senate district. She added his “utmost apologies” for anyone turned away and said “we hope they will go back and vote.” | |
| Twenty-five House districts were redrawn in Virginia for this election only, after the old lines were thrown out in court for illegally diluting the power of black voters. This map, drawn by an expert hired by a panel of federal judges, will exist for this election only. By 2021, a new map will be created based on the 2020 Census. | Twenty-five House districts were redrawn in Virginia for this election only, after the old lines were thrown out in court for illegally diluting the power of black voters. This map, drawn by an expert hired by a panel of federal judges, will exist for this election only. By 2021, a new map will be created based on the 2020 Census. |
| A conspiracy of hunches: Roger Stone trial set to start this week | A conspiracy of hunches: Roger Stone trial set to start this week |
| She found an ad for free dirt, Her yard was buried by more than 100 truckloads. | She found an ad for free dirt, Her yard was buried by more than 100 truckloads. |
| A new jail is only part of the answer, says task force examining incarceration in D.C. | A new jail is only part of the answer, says task force examining incarceration in D.C. |
| Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) | Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) |
| Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news | Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news |