ASHLAND, Ohio — A bit of confusion for some eagle-eyed residents in Ashland County.
Last week, Ohioans started receiving vote reminders from the state, which included applications for voting absentee.
A closer look at the application and voters noticed the address for the Ashland County Board of Elections wasn’t right.
Instead of listing "Ashland" as the city, it lists "Jefferson," which is 118 miles away and happens to be the village where the Ashtabula County Board of Elections is located.
"There was a miscommunication between the United States Post Office and Ohio Secretary of State’s office, and a clerical error happened and these applications got sent to every registered voter in Ashland County," Amanda Jones, director for the Ashland County Board of Elections, explained. "The zip code is correct. It’s just Jefferson. Everything else is correct on the form."
Jones explained that in the Excel spreadsheet the USPS received from the Ohio Secretary of State's office, Ashland is below Ashtabula.
Election officials in Ashland County pointed out that the barcode at the bottom of the wrong address still directs the U.S. Postal Service to send the application to the Ashland County County Board of Elections.
In a statement to News 5, a spokesperson with the Ohio Secretary of State confirmed the error.
“This is an error by the U.S. Postal Service, but rest assured these ballot applications will get to the right place," Dan Lusheck, spokesperson, said. "The postal service listed the incorrect city for the Ashland County Board of Elections on the return address. However, the bar code on the mailing is accurate, and the postal service’s equipment will correctly get it to the Ashland County board office."
Lusheck went on to say that the Ohio Secretary of State's office is sending out a corrected mailing and is working with the Ashland County Board of Elections on a text message to the more than 34,000 registered voters in Ashland County to let them know their options.
Despite the mistake, Jones told News 5 her office has received more than 200 completed absentee ballot applications so far.
"We are still getting them, they’re coming," she said. "We received them last week and today and these are being mailed in the window envelopes with "Jefferson" in the mailing address."
Jones told News 5 that if voters are concerned about their ballot application, they can return them in person to their office, in their 24-hour drop box, or mail it with a separate envelope with the correct address.
If you are voting absentee, the state recommends you fill out your absentee application and return it to your local board of elections no later than October 25th.
News 5 did reach out to the Ashtabula County Board of Elections, which confirmed that while processing absentee ballot applications is still ongoing, they have not received any requests from Ashland County residents.
Voters can track the status of their absentee ballot application, as well as the ballot by clicking HERE.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.
