Duplicate absentee ballots mailed to some Dorchester County voters due to clerical error

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)- Election officials in Dorchester County have apologized after duplicate absentee ballots were mistakenly mailed to about a hundred voters.

The county’s Voter Registration and Elections Office announced Wednesday that a clerical error resulted in two ballots being sent to approximately 100 registered voters.

“We apologize for the confusion and are working diligently to correct the situation,” officials wrote in an Oct. 16 Facebook post.

James Meadows and his wife are among those who received an extra ballot, sparking concern about the impact the error could have on the upcoming election.

“It’s a big concern,” Meadows told News 2. “We’re all concerned about this election — Democrats and Republicans. And I just don’t want to see somebody out there campaigning at the county level and lose by 50 votes or something, and it turns out those 50 votes were 50 extra ones.”

Officials said voters should either disregard the duplicate ballot or return it to the county, assuring that steps have been taken to prevent ballots from being counted more than once.

“We appreciate the community’s understanding as we resolve this matter, and we remain committed to ensuring a smooth and fair election process,” officials added.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call the county elections office at 843-563-0132.

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