Nearly 100 Nelsonville residents affected by ballot mistake

NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- About 100 voters in Nelsonville were affected Tuesday by a misprinted ballot issue that failed to include Issue 23, an issue asking if the city should abolish its current form of government.

According to Tony Brooks, deputy director of the Athens County Board of Elections, the issue arose after the vendor that printed the ballots mistakenly left Issue 23 off of the ballots. He said the error occurred because Issue 23 was not put onto the ballot until after Ohio's deadline due to a lawsuit challenging the issue.

The problem was caught by a poll worker during the morning and reported to the board, but not before 98 residents had cast their votes. Voters at all four Nelsonville polling precincts were affected, although Nelsonville Legal Director Jonathan Robe said early voting, mail-in ballots and electronic options were not affected.

The city is not using the paper ballots any longer, only offering electronic voting options at its polling locations. Robe said the Ohio Secretary of State's office helped the city access additional electronic voting booths to help shorten wait times.

Brooks said everyone who cast their votes on the affected paper ballots were being contacted by phone and email to come back to vote on the issue using a provisional ballot. The nearly 100 voters are asked to return to their precinct before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. If they do not return, Brooks said the board will carry out a special procedure to ensure the rest of their ballot is counted.

One voter reached out to NBC4 to say she found out from a list of affected voters on Facebook, alleging she was never contacted by the board. She said she returned to her precinct this evening to vote again, adding she felt it should not be this hard to cast her ballot.

The legal challenges with Issue 23 have persevered even after it was placed on the ballot. On Oct. 31, an appellate court ruled in favor of the citizens, upholding previous convictions, although Robe previously told NBC4 he worries that the lack of clarity on the issue at the state level could create legal complications after the election.

If voters have not been contacted by the board of elections but still believe they were affected, they are encouraged to contact the board immediately at 740-592-3201, or return to their precinct.