The Cascade County elections office is swamped with just over a week remaining before the Nov. 5 election.
Terry Thompson, election administrator, said there had been issues with the post office and ballots not being delivered quickly, or at all, and that phones are ringing constantly in her office with questions.
She said political parties are contacting voters telling them to check their ballot status and many are calling to check.
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The My Voter Page shows the status of a voter’s ballot, but Thompson said her team is swamped answering phones and handling voter registration so they’re behind on scanning in received ballots.
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She said they’ve had lines 30 people deep in the office so her staff is scanning ballots after 5 p.m. and county staff from the Clerk and Recorder’s office is helping scan ballots in the evenings. Thompson said her staff was working all weekend to catch up on scanning returned ballots.
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The My Voter Page shows a blue button at the bottom of your ballot status that says “request replacement ballot by mail.” That does not mean there’s a problem with your ballot, it shows on all voter status pages, including this reporter’s who did receive her ballot but has not yet returned it.
Thompson said she’d issued a ballot to someone who hadn’t received a ballot yet and shortly thereafter his original ballot arrived, after having been routed to Pennsylvania according to the postmark.
When the elections office issues a new ballot to a voter, the original ballot is voided in the system and cannot be voted or counted.
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Thompson said they’ve also had some ballots returned as undeliverable though the address was correct.
Regular voter registration for the Nov. 5 election closed on Oct. 7. Late registration began Oct. 8 and must be done in person.
Late registration is available through noon Nov. 4 at the county election office, and on election day at Exhibition Hall through 8 p.m.
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Thompson said a number of people mailed in registration forms after regular registration closed and have called asking about their ballot, not realizing they need to register in person to receive a ballot. She said her staff hasn’t had time to call everyone who mailed in their registration after the close of regular registration that they have to come to the office in person.
Ballots were mailed Oct. 11 and must be returned by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.
Thompson is planning to follow this schedule:
- Nov. 1: Exhibition Hall set up starts, election office remains open in the annex with limited staff
- Nov. 4: early counting of absentee ballots begins with election department staff and election judges; election office remains open in the annex with limited staff through 5 p.m.
- Nov. 5: Election Day, all election operations will be conducted at Exhibition Hall; the election office will be closed and no staff will be working on the annex; a ballot drop box at the annex will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; polls close at 8 p.m.
- Nov. 6: Exhibition Hall tear down begins; election office will reopen at the annex at 8 a.m. with limited staff until Expo Park tear down is finished
