MARYLAND - The Maryland State Board of Elections says they have been made aware of an error made by a mail-in ballot vendor that resulted in some voters receiving the wrong party ballot for the upcoming Gubernatorial Primary Election.
They say replacement mail-in ballots will be sent to all voters. While it is possible that only a small number of voters were affected and most received the right ballot, all ballots must be replaced to maintain the integrity and security of mail-in voting.
Officials with the SBE say the error only affects voters who received a ballot in the mail before May 14 of this year. Voters who requested a Print at Home ballot that was delivered via the web are not affected. All affected voters will be notified.
Jared DeMarinis, the Maryland State Administrator of Elections, said, "We are diligently working to address this error and provide clear instructions to those affected as quickly as possible. The State and Local Boards of Elections remain committed to running an election that is verified, secure and accurate. Mail-in voting is an integral facet of the electoral process. With over 500,000 voters requesting mail-in ballots, we want to eliminate any doubt in its integrity or accuracy, that is why I have arranged the sending of replacement ballots."
SBE officials also acknowledge that the situation may lead to the spread of misinformation. They ask that the public rely on election officials for information regarding elections.
Meanwhile, a statement from Maryland Freedom Caucus lawmakers criticized the state’s handling of the issue, alleging widespread errors and calling for increased oversight of the process. Officials with the caucus said they believe the incident raises concerns about election integrity and have called for additional scrutiny of the ballot system.
State election officials have not responded directly to those allegations but say the focus remains on correcting the error and ensuring voters receive the correct ballots ahead of the primary.
If you have questions or concerns, you can contact the Maryland State Board of Elections by email at info.sbe@maryland.gov or by phone at 410-269-2840.
