In a move meant to streamline and secure the absentee voting process in Maricopa County, Recorder Justin Heap has issued a critical alert to absentee ballot voters in the CD-7 Special Election. As reported by the Maricopa County Recorder's Office, nearly 28,000 absentee voters are advised to take an additional step should they receive a ballot not intended for them.
Voters who end up with an absentee ballot belonging to someone else should now "write RETURN TO SENDER on the envelope," and then drop it in the closest mailbox or at a United States Post Office location. This new instruction aims to quickly correct issues with the Postal Service's processing of returned ballots, identified by Recorder Heap. According to the official voter alert, it's not enough to simply check the box on the outside of the ballot envelope and hope to mail it back properly.
This revelation comes with the acknowledgment that the previous Recorder was aware of the processing mishap but, for reasons unknown, did not communicate this to the public. The Maricopa County Recorder's Office is now actively correcting the course to ensure electoral integrity and alleviate voter frustration.
The impact of stray ballots reaches beyond mere inconvenience, presenting a vulnerability to election security. By following these new directives, voters "can help us keep the voter rolls clean," as emphasized in the statement from the Recorder's Office. This alert not only highlights a problem of oversight by past administrations but also underscores the continuous efforts needed to safeguard voting protocols. The media is asked to assist in disseminating this information for the betterment of the voting process in Maricopa County.
