Second ballot mailed to absentee voters to rectify situation
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Registered absentee voters that received two ballots, one omitting the Lakewood School Board election, are asked to return both of them after the Village discovered a printing error.
“The printer made a color-coding error for the two Randall County Supervisory Districts,” said Village Administrator Jennifer Frederick. “Lakewood was made colored instead of the other Randall ballot, which is where the issue came from.”
The village immediately contacted the state Government Accountability Board for direction, which they followed through with.
“The GAB was made aware as soon as the error was caught and we proceeded how they told us,” Frederick said, noting a set of instructions was sent along with the second ballot.
In last week’s Twin Lakes District 4 meeting, Lakewood Board Clerk Kathy Ticha told fellow members of the error, and stated a handful of people called her asking for clarification.
“People were calling me telling me they got two ballots,” Ticha said. “They didn’t really look at them close enough.”
District Administrator Joe Price responded, contacting the village office, and noted they rectified the situation.
Twin Lakes officials told Price they sent out new instructions to voters.
Frederick said the second batch was sent out early enough to allow voters ample time to return both ballots.
“New instructions were put in the two batches that went out,” Frederick said. “If voters return both ballots, which we are requesting, only the second ballot will be counted.”
Frederick added that if they do not return the second ballot, the Village will use the first ballot, according to established guidelines by the GAB.
Twin Lakes officials reported there are 74 voters that requested absentee ballots.