Plainfield Township resends some ballots after printer error

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Hundreds of absentee voters out of Plainfield Township will be getting reprinted ballots mailed to them this week after a printing error caused them to receive ballots from the wrong precinct, election officials say.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons and other Plainfield Township officials were notified of an error on the ballot for one precinct. The error impacted about 3% of Plainfield Township voters. None of the affected ballots were for military of overseas voters, the township said.

Plainfield Township said the ballots were correct during the proofing process. The error happened while printing, when incorrect color-coded ballot number stubs were added to the ballots for Precincts 9A and 9B. Precinct 9B ballots were mailed to Precinct 9A voters.

All the incorrect ballots that were mailed to voters in Precinct 9 have been spoiled, Kent County wrote in a release, which means they cannot be accepted and tabulated if sent in by voters. Township officials will contact anyone who mails in a spoiled ballot so they can get a correct one.

“All affected voters will receive the right ballot immediately so they can cast their vote well ahead of Election Day,” wrote Kent County Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Posthumus Lyons in a release from the county. “I want to be very clear to all voters that this situation will not allow anyone to vote twice. Spoiling incorrect ballots is a critical safeguard to protect the integrity of our election process.”

A correct ballot will have a green color-coded ballot number stub, new issue date and paid postage. Voters who received a spoiled ballot should either destroy it or bring it to the Plainfield Township Clerk’s Office on Belmont Avenue NE, where it will be destroyed by election officials.

Anyone with questions can contact the Kent County Clerk’s Office at clerk-register@kentcountymi.gov or 616.632.7650.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.