Cobb County blames printer for missing midterm ballots

Isaiah Swann, a medical student in Virginia, must now drive more than eight hours to Georgia to cast his vote in the upcoming midterm election. Swann is a registered voter in Cobb County who requested an absentee ballot on October 22. The county elections office confirmed that his ballot was issued on October 26. However, the ballot had not arrived in the mail by Monday, the day before the election.

The Cobb County Elections Department attributed the delay to its printing vendor, Fort Orange Press. County officials stated that the vendor is responsible for delays involving ballots issued between October 7 and October 15. Swann called the elections department on Monday when the ballot failed to arrive. He said the staff informed him the situation was out of the county’s hands.

Swann described the experience as frustrating. He said contributing his voice to a place he considers home is important, and voting is a primary method for doing so. The delay has forced him to rearrange his schedule at the last minute. Swann noted that he has lab duties and hospital responsibilities that complicate the plan to return to Georgia.

The county stated that once an absentee ballot is mailed, delivery is handled by the United States Postal Service. The elections office said it cannot independently determine the cause of a delivery delay. The county confirmed that Swann can still vote in person if he cancels his absentee ballot. The office said it can assist him with the necessary cancellation procedures. The United States Postal Service said various factors may impact the timeliness of a returned ballot.

This incident follows a lawsuit filed last week over delayed absentee ballots in Cobb County. That lawsuit was subsequently dropped after the county agreed to overnight ship missing ballots to affected voters. Swann said he also submitted an absentee ballot application in 2024 but never received that ballot either. He said the issue seems to be recurring.

Fort Orange Press has not yet responded to requests for comment. Swann is currently trying to determine how he will manage the trip to Georgia to vote in person.