Cobb sending out replacement ballots after mailing delay

Cobb County election officials are sending replacement absentee ballots by USPS Priority Express Mail after a mailing delay at the county's ballot vendor, Fort Orange Press. The county's Board of Elections and Registration said a limited number of voters who requested absentee-by-mail ballots may have seen delivery delays ahead of Election Day.

The board traced the delay to Fort Orange Press. Voters whose ballots were marked as issued by the county between Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 and have not received them are the ones affected. County officials have not said how many voters are in that group.

Replacement ballots go out by USPS Priority Express Mail, along with a prepaid Priority Express return envelope. No replacement goes to a voter who already has the original ballot, has already voted another way, or has canceled the request.

Voters who asked for an absentee ballot between Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 and have not gotten it should call 770-528-2581 or email abm@cobbcounty.gov. Relatives cannot file the request for the voter. Callers give identifying information so staff can check whether the ballot falls in the affected batch, and they sign the county's standard cancellation affidavit, which is on the Cobb County government website.

Completed ballots must reach the elections office before polls close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The board said there is no deadline extension. County officials have not released the number of voters affected or described what went wrong in the printing or mailing process at Fort Orange Press.